PREPARATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PLANTS. 
261 
Some attention should also be paid to tlie neatness of the appearance of the cases, 
as captains are very unwilling to allow the deck to be occupied by unsightly objects ; 
they should be well clamped together with iron, and painted. On no account should 
holes be bored in the ends for passing rope handles through ; the latter are perfectly 
useless. The 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. 
3. 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 appears 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 of 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 day ; because, although in rainy weather no water is re- 
quired, yet if the weather is very hot, a larger allowance than this may be necessary. 
The water should be given in such a manner, that the leaves and branches may be 
refreshed, besides the root ; part should therefore be sprinkled over them, the rest 
poured on the earth. 
Generally, half a pint of water should be sprinkled over the plants before you 
shut them up in the mornings, and the same quantity when the cases are opened in 
the evening; a greater quantity will, however, of course be given in hot, dry 
weather, than when the sky is overcast, and the air moist. 
4. Upon their arrival in England , the plants should not be immediately taken 
from their pots, but allowed to remain in them in a conservatory or hot-house, 
according to the nature of the plants themselves, or the season of their arrival. 
Water should be sparingly given, and the plants well cleansed from the dust and 
other matters which may be collected on their leaves during their voyage. 
VOL. I,— NO. XI. 
M M 
