1837.] On the Growth oj Plants without exposure to open Air. 343 



The cases were refilled at Sydney, in the month of February, 1834, 

 the thermometer then beiigg between 90° and 100°. In their passage 

 to England, they encountered very varying temperatures. The ther- 

 mometer fell to 20° in rounding Cape Horn, and the decks were cover- 

 ed a foot deep with snow. In crossing the line the thermometer rose 

 to 120°, and fell to 40° on their arrival in the British channel, in the 

 beginning of November, eight months after they were enclosed. These 

 plants were not once watered during their voyage, received no protec- 

 tion by day or by night, but were yet taken out at Loddiges' in the most 

 healthy and vigorous condition. The plants chiefly consisted of Ferns, 

 among them Gleichenia microphylla never before introduced alive, and 

 the Hymenophy Hum Tunbridgense. Several plants of Callicoma serrata 

 had come up from seed during the voyage, and were in a very healthy- 

 state. As this experiment was made chiefly with Ferns, I will briefly 

 give you an account of one other experiment, in which plants of a high- 

 er order of development were the subject of trial. Ibrahim Pacha be- 

 ing desirous to obtain useful and ornamental plants for his garden near 

 Cairo, and at Damascus, commissioned his agents in this country to 

 send them. I was requested by his agents to select them, and they 

 were sent out in August, 1834, in the Nile Steamer, to Alexandria. 

 They were about two months on their passage, and I have enclosed a 

 copy of the letter from Mr. Traill, his gardener, giving an account of 

 their condition when he received them ; and have likewise sent you a 

 list of the plants, which were contained in the Egyptian cases. I have, 

 as yet, receiyed no account of the Syrian plants. Various other trials 

 have been made to other parts of the world, as Calcutta, Para, &c. &e. f 

 and with the same success. 



I feel well assured that this method of importing plants would like- 

 wise be extremely useful in the introdcution of many of the lower but 

 most interesting tribes of animals, which have never yet been seen alive 

 in this country. 



In reply to an inquiry that was addressed to Mr. Ward, as to the ad- 

 visability of a collector's taking glazed boxes to Brazil, Mr. Ward thus 

 writes. " I should imagine that these may be easily procured at Rio, 

 and various other places ; but if glass cannot be obtained, or is very 

 dear, then a number of small panes might be carried, for use, as occa- 

 sion requires. 



" It may be as well to state,, once for all, that the success of my plan 

 is in exact proportion to the admission of light to all parts of the grow- 

 ing plants, and to the due regulation of the humidity of the mould 

 wherein they grow. It is safer, in all instances, to give rather too little 

 than too much water. If Ferns, for example, are the subject of experi- 

 ment, they should be planted in the soil most congenial to them, well 

 watered, but all the superfluous fluid allowed to drain off, before the case 



