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My first experiment was tried in the following manner. Having procured some fine mulberry-plants from the district where the best Chinese silk is produced, I planted them in a Ward's case in the usual way, and watered them well. In two or three days, when the soil was sufficiently dry, a large quantity of tea-seeds were scattered over its surface, and covered with earth about half an inch deep. The whole was now sprinkled with water, and fastened down with a few crossbars to keep the earth in its place. The case was then screwed down in the usual way, and made as tight as possible.

When the case reached Calcutta the mulberryplants were found to be in good condition, and the tea-seeds had germinated during the voyage, and were now covering the surface of the soil. Dr. Falconer, writing to me upon the receipt of this case, says, "The young tea-plants were sprouting around the mulberries as thick as they could come up.'

During this year (1849) large quantities of seeds were sown in other cases between the rows of young tea-plants. These also germinated on their way to India, and reached their destination in the Himalayas in good condition.

When the news of the success of these experiments reached me from India, I determined to adopt the same plan when I packed the cases which I was now taking round under my own care. Tea-seeds were

therefore sown in all the cases between the rows of young plants.

Fourteen cases having been packed and prepared

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CHAP. XXI. TRANSPORTING SEEDS AND PLANTS. 357

in this manner, I had still a large quantity of seeds -about a bushel-remaining on hand. These I determined to dispose of in the following manner. Two glazed cases had been prepared to take a collection of camellias from China to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta. The tea-seeds were emptied out in front of these cases and a small portion of earth thrown in amongst them. A layer of this mixture, which now consisted of about one part earth and two parts seeds, was laid in the bottom of each case, and the camelliaplants were lifted gently out of their pots and placed upon it. The spaces between the plants were then filled up to the proper height with this mixture of tea-seeds and earth, and a little soil was sprinkled upon the surface to cover the uppermost seeds. The whole was then well watered, bars were nailed across to keep the earth in its place, and the lids of the cases were fastened down in the usual manner.

My collections of plants and seeds, which now filled sixteen glazed cases, were in this state when I left Shanghae with the Chinese manufacturers and implements, as described in the last chapter. This was on the 16th of February, 1851. The north-east monsoon was now blowing steadily along the coast of China. This being a fair wind, all sail was set, and in four days we anchored in the bay of Hong-kong, having run little less than one thousand miles. We at once went onwards in the steam-ship "Lady Mary Wood," and arrived at Calcutta on the 15th of March. Here we took up our abode with Dr. Falconer, the superintendent of the H.C. Botanic Garden,

and it was at this time that the counterfeit tea was made from the leaves of Pongamia glabra, the account of which I have given in a former chapter. All the glass cases were taken to the garden to be examined and put in order for the next part of the journey.

When the cases were opened in Calcutta the young tea-plants were found to be in good condition. The seeds which had been sown between the rows were also just beginning to germinate. These, of course, were left undisturbed, as there was room enough for them to grow; but it was necessary to take other measures with those in the camellia cases. On opening the latter, the whole mass of seeds, from the bottom to the top, was swelling, and germination had just commenced. The camellias, which had now arrived at their destination, were lifted gently out and potted, and appeared as if they had never left their native country. Fourteen new cases were got ready, filled with earth, and these germinating seeds were sown thickly over the surface, and covered with soil in the usual way. In a few days the young plants came sprouting through the soil; every seed seemed to have grown; and by this simple plan about twelve thousand plants were added to the Himalayan plantations.

Many attempts are yearly made by persons in Europe to send out seeds of our oaks and chestnuts to distant parts of the world, and these attempts generally end in disappointment. Let them sow the seeds in Ward's cases as I have described, and they are

CHAP. XXI. BOTANIC GARDEN AT CALCUTTA.

almost sure of success.

359

If they are to be sent to a great distance, they should be sown thinly, not in

masses.

The H. C. Botanic Garden at Calcutta is situated on the right bank of the river Hooghly, a little below the " City of Palaces." From the time of Dr. Wallich's retirement until the appointment of Dr. Falconer extensive alterations appear to have been made. It must be confessed, however, that some of these alterations have been most injurious to the garden. For example, many valuable specimens and groups of trees have been cut down, which cannot be replaced in one generation. We look in vain for those noble specimens of palm-trees which must have been planted in the days of Roxburgh and Wallich, while in their places we find some small "botanical arrangements which cannot be carried out, and which are never likely to answer the purposes for which they were intended.

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The alterations now in progress appear to be of a very different kind, and are the first results of a welldigested plan. It is proposed to form a large Arboretum in one portion of the grounds, to contain specimens of all the exogenous trees and shrubs which grow in the climate of Bengal; in another part of the garden the endogens, such as palms, Dracænas, &c., are to be placed; and no doubt other classifications of herbaceous and medical plants will also be formed. If this plan is carried out as it has been commenced, this noble establishment will preyears.

sent a very different appearance in a few

During my stay here I saw two remarkable plants in full bloom. The one was Amherstia nobilis, and the other Jonesia Asoca. The former was considered rather difficult to manage, but it is now succeeding admirably under the treatment of Mr. Scott, the head gardener. Its long racemes of scarlet flowers were certainly most graceful and pretty. The Jonesia, however, in my opinion is the more beautiful of the two. I had frequently seen it in our stoves at home, but I had no idea of its beauty until I saw it in the Calcutta garden. It was now literally loaded with its fine orange blossoms, which contrasted so well with the dark-green leaves. Were the shrub better known at home, I am sure we should see finer specimens produced at our metropolitan flowershows.

The collections under my care being ready, I received orders from the Indian Government to proceed onwards on the 25th of March in one of the small river steamers as far as Allahabad. The Hooghly was shallow at this time of the year, it being the dry season in India. We were, therefore, obliged to go down the river to its mouth, and across amongst the Sunderbunds. This vast country stretches from the river Hooghly on the western side of the bay of Bengal, to Chittagong on the east, and is upwards of two hundred miles across. It is cut up into hundreds of islands, some having the appearance of being surrounded by arms of the sea, while others are formed by rivers which intersect the land in all directions. These are the many mouths of the

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