78 
THE CONVEYANCE OF PLANTS 
the introduction of this shrub into France. M. 
Gruillemin had personal knowledge of the efficacy 
of the closed plan, having carried out Camellias to 
Rio in one of my cases ; and he says that his first 
plan had been to construct boxes on Mr. Ward’s 
system, but the heavy price deterred * him, while 
the safety with which he had brought his fruit- 
trees -f from Europe, in a box with sliding panels, 
induced him to fix finally on this latter mode of 
construction. The result I will give in his own 
words, — “Very pleasing was the sight to me, 
when the day after the £ Heroine ’ had sailed 
(May 20th, 1839), I beheld my eighteen precious 
boxes arranged two and two in such a situation 
as kept them steady and level, permitted them 
to receive light, and to have the movable panels 
closed in bad weather. The vigour of my tea- 
plants, and the lovely verdure of their foliage., 
had been generally admired at Rio, and I fondly 
anticipated the most prosperous results from my 
expedition. But short-lived was this satisfaction. 
Two days after, heavy north winds drove us off 
our course, the sea became more boisterous than 
* The cost of glazing the whole of Mons. Guillemin’s cases, would 
not have exceeded 20 1 , 
t Had M. Guillemin reflected for one moment npon the differ- 
ent states of the fruit-trees, and of the tea-plants — the former being 
conveyed at the close, and the latter at the commencement of their 
active season — he would not, I think, have acted so unwisely. 
