176 REMINISCENCES OF A VOYAGE TO AND FROM CHINA. 
When we made our selection of plants, we preferred placing them 
in strong cane baskets of a proper size rather than putting them into 
glazed China pots, because the latter we thought were too attractive 
of heat and less pervious to air or moisture. The plants were placed 
in these baskets as soon as received, and kept in a shady yard till they 
were packed in the boxes a few days before the ship was to sail. The 
boxes had all double bottoms, both pierced with a good many holes. 
The second bottom, on which the plants stood, was necessary, lest the 
sea water in washing the deck should reach the roots. 
The moss which we brought from England was used in packing the 
plants ; each basket was plunged in it, with a thin covering of the 
same over the surfaces. Thus placed, the baskets were secured by 
cross ledges of wood to keep them steady while on their way to their 
berths in the ship. A few plants of the Pceonia moutan were received 
as presents to Sir Joseph Banks and our employer Mr. Slater, and 
which were kept in the pots just as they were received. These were 
all kept in the stern balcony during the voyage. 
The plants selected for bringing to Europe were as follows:—Six 
plants of the Pceonia moutan, three varieties, viz., yellow, pale purple, 
and red. One of the pink or pale purple ones was kept in the pot in 
which it was received, the others were shifted into baskets, and placed 
in the boxes along with the other plants. Besides these, we had the 
charge of two or three others, as before said, addressed to Sir Joseph 
Banks for the Kew collection. Some of these plants had been brought 
to Canton the year before; others arrived while we were there. The 
former, being better established in the pots, bore the voyage home much 
better than those which had been shifted. 
Very little is known of these highly-valued plants by the nurserymen 
at Canton. They are natives of and much cultivated in the province 
of Nankin, whence good specimens are annually sent as presents to 
Canton, just before they come into bloom. These, when done flowering, 
are for the most part thrown away, as it is believed they will not flower 
a second time at Canton. This is not necessarily so, either from the 
nature of the plant or from the difference of the climate, but it is very 
likely to be so from bad usage and neglect. We turned out several 
which had just arrived from Na?ikm, and found them most barbarously 
used. It appeared they had been raised from the open ground, and 
out of strong alluvial soil, having all the points of their thick finger-like 
roots docked short off to fit a small pot for the convenience of carriage. 
Plants so roughly treated may retain inherent power to bloom once, 
but much good nursing would be required to make them blow in the 
year following. In short, it seems the Nankinese treat their pczonies 
