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[Page 5]
5
on account of the Scarcity of Mould. For each Box So Hoopd and netted provide a Canvass Cover, which may when put on entirely protect it, and to prevent this Cover from being Lost or mislaid nail it to one Side and fix Loops and Hooks to the other by which it may Occassionly by fastned Down.
The Capt: who takes Charge of them, must be paticularly Caution'd that / the Cheif danger plants are liable to in Sea voyages, is occassion'd by the minute particles of the Salt Water, with which the air is Charged whenever the waves have white frothy Curls upon them, these fall upon the leaves and quickly Evaporating leaves the Salt behind; which Choaking up the pores prevents perspiration and Effectually kills the plant / he therefore Should never let the Covers be off Except on days, when the wind is not Sufficiently high to beat the water up into that the Seamen Call white Caps, he must not keep them Shut up in the whole voyage, for if he does they will mould and perish by the Stagnation of the air under the Covers, and if at any time by Accident or Necessity, the Should have been Exposed to the wind when the waves have white Caps, he must be desired to water them well with fresh water - Sprinkling all their leaves with it, to wash off the Saly Drops which Cover them; in this manner they may be Sent from allmost any Distance; many Come from China Every Year in a flourishing State.
If it is Convenient to the Captain to give up a Small part of the great Cabbin to the plants, that is Certainly by far the best Station for them, nor are they much in the way, as the place which Suits them best is Close to the Stern windows; in this case they need not be fur==nished with their Canvass Covers, and they must Sometimes have Air, by Opening the windows when the weather is quite moderate.
If it is required to bring any Particular plant from Inland that may be done for 5 or 6 Days Journey without much Difficulty or Incumbrance; The Roots must be taken up in the Cool of the Evening and pack'd in damp Moss. So that Every Root may have an Inch of Moss round it, the whole then tied up in a Bundle and put into any Box, with holes Bored in it, or basket Close Enough to shade it from the Sun and prevent the tops and leaves which are not Coverd with moss, from being Broken or bruised, and being brought to the Sea Side in this, Each may be planted in the boxes and when it has taken Root Sent away.
Some plants are So tender taht it is not without the utmost Difficulty they Can be transorted; and whose Seeds also Soon Loosse their vegetative Quality, these are best managed, planting the -