196 



COLLECTIONS SHIPPED FOR INDIA. Chap. X. 



fore, were now ready. These were now filled with 

 earth, and all the plants carefully planted ; at the 

 same time large quantities of tea-seed, chesnuts, 

 and other things of that nature were sown in the 

 soil and left to germinate on the voyage to India. 

 My other collections of the seeds of useful and 

 ornamental trees and shrubs w^ere well dried and 

 packed in a common wooden box. 



It is very rare that there is a vessel from 

 Shanghae direct for Calcutta, and consequently all 

 these things had to be transshipped at Hongkong. 

 Living plants are not like bales of merchandize ; 

 they are easily destroyed by the admission of salt 

 water or salt air, and are more likely to be dam- 

 aged while undergoing transshipment than during 

 a long voyage at sea. As on former occasions, I 

 determined to accompany my collections to Hong- 

 kong, and look after the transshipment myself. 

 The formation of this collection had cost me much 

 labour and care ; the unsettled condition of the 

 country rendered it extremely doubtful that I 

 should be equally successful in the following sea- 

 son ; and it was therefore an object of the first 

 importance to endeavour by every means in my 

 power to ensure the safety of that now in hand. 



Everything went according to my wishes ; 

 Hongkong was reached in safety, the collections 

 were sent on to Calcutta in four different ships, 

 and a few months afterwards I had the very great 

 satisfaction to hear that the whole had arrived at 

 their destination in excellent condition. No fewer 



