142 Management of Plants during a Voyage from India, 



roofs should be glazed either with stout glass or with the Chinese 

 oyster shell ; or with plates of thick talc. 



Each plant should have a separate square pot made of wood, of 

 such a size that eight should be contained in each case ; they should 

 not fit too tightly together, but should be so contrived that any one 

 may be lifted out without disturbing the remainder. This renders 

 it easy to replace deaths if the ships touch at any port on their 

 voyage. The pots should have three or four holes bored in their 

 bottoms : but there should be no holes in the bottom of the chest; 

 for it is at such apertures that rats on ship-board always commence 

 their depredations, and there is no advantage whatever in the holes. 



Between the bottom of the pots and the bottom of the case, 

 should be a layer three inches deep of broken glass and pebbles ; 

 the former renders it impossible for vermin to establish themselves 

 in the cases. The cases should be raised two inches from the deck 

 by little feet. 



In the treatment on board, too much attention cannot be given 

 to the necessity of exposing the plants to the open air at all times 

 when the weather will admit of it. As a general rule, it may be said 

 that the boxes should be kept shut as long as the sun is above the 

 horizon, and opened during the night, whenever the weather ap- 

 pears steadily fine. In cases where the chests are placed under the 

 awning, the former precaution would be less necessary, and a due 

 consideration of the changeableness of weather at sea, will of course 

 ensure particular attention to the closing the roofs, if bad weather 

 should come on. Whenever a shower falls the plants should be 

 fully exposed to it, taking care at the same time that too much 

 moisture be not admitted. 



With regard to watering, it is desirable that the Captain should 

 provide for each plant one pint per diem ; because, although in rainy 

 weather no water is required, yet if the weather is very hot, a larger 

 allowance than this may be necessary. The water should be given 



