ing on a light color from drying, and when, in handling the plants, 
the dirt no longer clings to your fingers, your plants are then 
ready for packing. 
Dead Leaves 
Where your shipment travels more than 1000 miles, dead 
leaves, if any, should be carefully picked off. They will not dry 
out and may start a fermentation, causing loss of shipments. 
Use a light, strong box from five to six inches high; we buy 
spruce box ends % inch thick, of above width in strips, and cut 
same to proper size of box made to hold, say 1000 plants. All sides, 
tops and bottoms 3/16” mill cut to 26”. Thus, we have a box— 
size 5 to 6” high, 12” wide, more or less, and 26” long, holding 
about 1000 plants and made as tight and snug as possible. 
Line the box at first with double newspapers, and then with oil 
paper, well up on sides and ends. It is now ready for the moss. 
The greatest possible danger lies in improper moistening of 
moss. It should never be wet, but always moist—barely moist. 
If you are shipping extensively, a clothes wringer with rolls 
set fairly close will leave the proper amount of moisture in your 
moss. Possibly friend wife will lend you hers. 
With cool moss, no lumps, carefully carpet bottom of box one 
or more inches in thickness—sufficient to bring plants in vertical 
layers so that tops of plants will reach to within 44” of top of box 
when nailed on, for ventilation. 
Important 
It is a good plan to lay a printed or written slip of paper inside 
box with the words “If dry, remove wrappings and put plants in 
water.’’ Even if badly shriveled they will ‘‘come back” fresh and 
strong. Better yet, attach a slip when mailing invoice, which 
should go with, or ahead of shipment. 
Overlay top of box with oil paper, about 4” wider than width 
of box; next a double newspaper of same width, both cut long 
enough to nail down under top, which should come flush with sides 
to make shipment snug, and strengthen top. Don’t crowd your 
plants—don’t leave loose enough so they will scramble. After your 
plants are packed, pick up your box with a jerk endwise and if 
your plants move back and forth slightly, your packing is O.K. 
‘Midway between box ends run a stout, strong cord twice around 
box, and snub up tightly, tying on the edge of box and leaving long 
enough ends to tie on your shipping tag. Always mail your invoice 
under separate cover to serve notice that shipment is on the way. 
Your shipment is then ready to travel across continent safely. 
ah ant 
