288 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. XIX. 
ply to SOW the seeds in Ward's cases soon after they are 
gathered. 
My first experiment was tried in the following manner. 
Having procured some fine mulberry-plants from the 
district where the best Chinese silk is produced, I 
planted them in a Ward's case in the usual way, and 
watered them well. In two or three days, when the 
soil was sufficiently dry, a large quantity of tea-seeds 
were scattered over its surface, and covered with earth 
about half an inch deep. The whole was now sprinkled 
with water, and fastened down with a few crossbars to 
keep the earth in its place. The case was then screwed 
down in the usual way, and made as tight as pos- 
sible. 
When the case reached Calcutta the mulberry-plants 
were found to be in good condition, and the tea-seeds 
had germinated during the voyage, and were now 
covering the surface of the soil. Dr. Falconer, writing 
to me upon the receipt of this case, says, " The young 
tea-plants were sprouting around the mulberries as thick 
as they could come up.'^ 
During this year (1849) large quantities of seeds were 
sown in other cases between the rows of young tea- 
plants. These also germinated on their way to India, 
and reached their destination in the Himalayas in good 
condition. 
When the news of the success of these experiments 
reached me from India, I determined to adopt the 
same plan when I packed the cases which I was now 
taking round under my own care. Tea-seeds were 
