PACKING FOE EEMOVAL, 



IS 



for many are very tender. Their flowers being large and 

 waxy, some of tliem require more packing than others. I 

 Itaye seen many a plant spoiled by not being carefully 

 packed, and it is a vexatious thing to have a fine specimen 

 plant spoiled during its journey to the place of exhibition. 

 They will travel as well forty miles as ten, if they are pro- 

 perly packed. I have had a good deal of this work to do, 

 and a few hints on the subject to young beginners may be 

 of use to them. Some kinds bear removing much better 

 than others. The genus Phajus WalUchii and grandifolim 

 are both bad plants for travelling, if not well packed. I 

 have seen fine plants brought to different flower-shows, 

 with their flowers completely spoilt for the want of careful 

 packing ; though I have shown P. WalUchii these last five 

 years at the Chiswick and Regent's Park exhibitions, and 

 they have always been conveyed without injuiy, In pre- 

 paring them, I first get some strong flower sticks, and put 

 one to each flower spike ; the stick should be long enough 

 to go into the earth, so as to remain firm ; the sticks 

 should be placed at the back part of the flowers, and stand 

 one or two inches above the flower spike ; then get some 

 wadding and tie up the stick, afterwards tie the flower- 

 spike firmly to the stick, add more wadding, putting it round 

 every flower-stalk, and tie them firm to the flower-spike : 

 begin at the top of the spike, and tie every flower separately, 

 so that the flowers do not touch one another. The leaves 

 of the plant must not be allowed to rub against the flowers. 

 On arriving at the end of their journey, untie them, remove 

 the wadding, and tie them in the proper form. In tying, 

 care should be taken not to rub the flowers. 



Saccolahiums and Aerides do not require so much pack- 

 ing. It is sufficient to put two or three sticks to each 

 spike, one at each end, and one m the centre, if the spike 

 be long ; but if short, two will be sufficient. The stick. 



