folded in a separate piece of paper and kept dry in a box, they in general reach this country in a good state for vegetation.
Oily Seeds, such as those of the Tea, Coffee, most kinds of Acorns, &c soon lose their germinative property. For such, it is necessary to provide a box and a quantity of loose sandy or peat mould. Put into the box a layer of this earth and then a layer of seeds, and so on alternately till the box be full.
Bulbs of all kinds, and many Roots, not actually in a state of vegetation, cuttings of Succulent Plants, Aloes, Cacti, and many other thick leaved Parasitic Orchideous Plants, called Air Plants, may be put into a box with dry sand, peat, or saw-dust; and these (as should the seeds and bulbs) must be kept free from damp.
Plants that it is desirable to remove with the root, should be carefully placed together, but not too crowded, with common soil, in wooden boxes, the top of which is formed with two sloping sides like the roof of a house; one of these constitutes a lid that can be opened or shut at pleasure, so as to admit the air and water, and especially so as to exclude the spray of the sea, which would be highly prejudicial. The earth must be kept moderately moist, and the boxes always placed either on an exposed part of the deck of the vessel, or slung from the tops. In the latter situation they are liable to the least injury; only the person who has the charge of them must not forget to supply them with fresh water when they may require it.
With the plants and seeds, whether in a living or dry state, if they are not well known to naturalists, there should be pieces of paper, on which are to be indicated the uses of the kind as far as they have been ascertained, the particular country where it is gathered, the soil, the size, the elevation at which it grows above the level of the sea, and the name it is generally known by.
As soon as a sufficieut number of plants are collected, no time should be lost in transporting them to their place of destination, since the dried specimens in particular, and the seeds, are liable to the attack of insects in warm climates; and the captain of the vessel should be particularly requested to keep them in a dry and airy part of his vessel.
Specimens of the Woods are also highly desirable; of the Gums, Resins, and the various products of the trees, if employed in the arts or in medicine; and it may here finally be remarked, that those plants which are employed as useful in any way whatever by the natives, are what it is of most importance to possess in our gardens : nevertheless, the more common kinds, the very weeds of foreign countries, the Grasses, the Mosses, the Sea-weeds, and Lichens, will prove extremely valuable to a scientific Botanist.
8.—Explanation of the Sketches of the Horns of the Jarâi, Plate V.
[Described in the last number, page 66]
1, 2, 3. The Phúsro Jarâi, mature. No. 1 has the upper antler or process posterior and internal; No. 2, the same antler, anterior and external; No. 3 shews it doubtful. In No. 1, this same superior antler is remote from the end of the beam; in Nos. 2 and 3, it is approximated.
4. The Râto Jarâî, mature. 5. The Kâlo Jarâi, mature.
| Dimensions. | Feet and inches. | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | |||||||||||
| Length along the curve, | 2 | 10 | 2 | 6 | ½ | 2 | 10 | ¼ | 2 | 1 | ¾ | 2 | 8 | ¼ | |
| Utmost divergency, | 1 | 11 | 2 | 1 | ¾ | 2 | 5 | 1 | 8 | ½ | 2 | 5 | ¼ | ||
| Divergency of tips, | 1 | 11 | ½ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 11 | ¾ | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |||
| Circumference of base above the burr, | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 | ½ | 0 | 8 | ½ | 0 | 7 | ¼ | 0 | 6 | ⅞ | |
