102 
HINTS TO TRAVELLERS. 
wrapped in slightly moist materials, such as cocoa-nut fibre, peat, or 
leaf mould. 
8. Living Plants .—As a general rule, these require to be established in 
pots or boxes for some time before being packed for transmission. They 
travel best in what are called Wardian cases; but an ordinary wooden 
box covered with a glass top, and with sufficient moisture in the soil and 
air to prevent excessive evaporation, is found to answer the purpose. 
The cases should be kept on deck under some protection from the direct 
heat of the sun. Tropical plants should be despatched so as to reach 
England during the summer months. At other seasons they are liable 
to perish from cold. 
9. Succulent Plants , such as cacti, aloe, houseleeks, &c., survive for a 
long time if packed without earth in a perfectly dry box, with sufficient 
openings for ventilation. 
10. Small plants with woody roots and cuttings of larger species of 
plants from the north or south temperate zones often travel successfully 
when merely packed with a little soil, slightly moist, about the roots, and 
a wrapping of damp moss, or similar substance, tied up in thick paper or 
canvas. There is, however, much risk of failure in these cases where, on 
the homeward voyage, it is necessary to pass through the tropics. 
As a general rule, plants are more often injured by excess of moisture 
than by being sent too dry. 
It is desirable to make use of every favourable opportunity for sending 
botanical collections of all kinds to England, as in hot countries they are 
always exposed to risk of injury. 
It is scarcely necessary to mention that living plants, as well as seeds 
and bulbs, should be placed in the hands of skilful gardeners after 
reaching this country. The chance of preserving interesting specimens 
is commonly much greater when they are sent to botanic gardens than 
when entrusted to private cultivators. In all cases information as to the 
soil and climate of the native home of the plant is a necessary guide to 
proper treatment. 
Fossils .—The collection of fossils and minerals (except in the case of 
the discovery of new localities for valuable metals) is not to be recom¬ 
mended to the traveller, if he is not a geologist. Fossils from an unex¬ 
plored country are of little use unless the nature and order of super¬ 
position of the strata in which they are found can be at the same time 
