120 
APPENDIX. 
time, prevented tlie evaporation of* the moisture 
within. In the bottle these plants remained for 
more than three years, during which time not 
one drop of water was given to them, nor was 
the cover removed. The Poa flowered the 
second year, hut did not ripen its seeds ; and 
about five or six fronds of the Aspidium were 
annually developed, hut neither thecae nor 
sporules were produced. These plants acci- 
dentally perished, from the rusting of the lid 
and the consequent admission of rain, which 
caused them to rot. During the last twelve- 
month I have tried this method with more than 
thirty species of ferns, with uniform success. 
Many other plants which grow in moist situa- 
tions will succeed equally well when treated in 
this way. To mention one instance : I trans- 
planted some roots of Listera Nidus-avis about 
three weeks ago. Those which I placed in my 
fern-boxes grew most rapidly, while the remain- 
der, treated in the usual manner, completely 
withered away. I have the pleasure of sub- 
mitting two of my boxes to the inspection of the 
Linnean Society. My valued friend Capt. Mal- 
lard, whose active zeal in the cause of Science 
is well known to many Fellows of the Linnean 
as well as of the Zoological Society, has engaged 
to convey these boxes on an experimental voyage 
