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CIRCULAR TO CONSULS.

PETER FORCE, Pkister.

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TO A PORTIOiN OF THE CONSULS OF THE UNITED STATES.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,

September 6, 1827.

SIR:

The President is desirous of causing to be intro-
duced into the United States all such trees and plants from
other countries not heretofore known in the United States,
as may give promise, under proper cultivation, of flourishing
and becoming useful, as well as superior varieties of such as
are already cultivated here. To this end I have his directions
to address myself to you, invoking your aid to give effect to
the plan that he has in view. Forest tress useful for timber;
grain of any description ; fruit trees ; vegetables for the ta-
ble ; esculent roots; and, in short, plants of whatever na-
ture whether useful as food for man or the domestic animals,
or for purposes connected with manufactures or any of the
useful arts, fall within the scope of the plan proposed. A
specification of some of them to be had in the country where
you reside, and believed to fall under one or other of the
above heads, is given at the foot of this letter, as samples
merely, it not being intended to exclude others of wiiich you
may yourself have knowledge, or be able, on inquiry, to
obtain knowledge. With any that you may have it in your
power to send, it will be desirable to send such notices of
their cultivation and natural history as may be attainable in
the country to which they are indigenous ; and the follow-
ing questions are amongst those that will indicate the par-
ticulars concerning which information may be sought : —

1. The latitude and soil in which the plant most flour-
ishes.

2. What are the seasons of its bloom and maturity, and
what the term of its duration ?

3. In what manner is it propagated ? by roots, seeds,
buds, grafts, layers, or how ? and how cultivated ? and are
there any unusual circumstances attending its cultivation ?

4. Is it affected by frost, in countries where frost prevails?

5. The native or popular name of the plant, and ('where
knownj its botanical name and character.

6. The elevation of the place of its growth above the
level of the sea.

7. Is there in the agricultural literature of the country,
any special treatise or dissertation upon its culture ? If so,
let it be stated.

8. Is there any insect particularly habituated to it ?

9. Lastly — its use, whether for food, medicine, or the
arts.

In removing seeds or plants from remote places across the
ocean, or otherwise, great care is often necessary to be ob-
served in the manner of putting them up and conveying
them. To aid your efforts in this respect upon the present
occasion, a paper of directions has been prepared, and is
herewith transmitted.

The President will hope for your attention to the objects
of this communication as far as circumstances will allow:
and it is not doubted but that your own public feelings will
impart to your endeavours under it, a zeal proportioned to
the beneficial results to which the communication looks.
It is proper to add, that no expense can at present be autho-
rized in relation to it. It is possible, however, that Congress
may not be indisposed to provide a small fund for it. 1 he
seeds, plants, cuttings, or whatever other germinating sub-
stance you may transmit, must be addressed to the Treasury
Department, and sent to the Collector of the port to which
the vessel conveying them is destined, or where she may
arrive, accompanied by a letter of advice to the depart-

ment. The Secretary of the Navy has instructed the
Commanders of such of the public vessels of the United
States as may ever touch at your port, to lend you their as-
sistance towards giving effect to the objects of this commu-
nication ; as you will perceive by the copy of his letter of
instructions, which is herewith enclosed for your informa-
tion. It is believed, also, that the Masters of the merchant
vessels of the United States, will generally be willing —
such is their well-known public spirit — to lend their gratu-
itous co-operation towards effecting the objects proposed.

I remain, respectfully,

Your most obedient servant,

To

Esquire,

Consul of the United States at

DIRECTIONS

TOR POTTINO UP AND TRANSMITTING

[Accompanying the letter of the Secretary of the Treasury of September 6th, 1827.]

With a view to the transmission of seeds from distant
countries, the first object of care is to obtain seeds that
are fully ripe, and in a sound and heakhy state. To this
the strictest attention should be paid ; otherwise, all the
care and trouble that may be bestowed on them, will have
been wasted on objects utterly useless.

Those seeds thai are not dry when gathered, should be
rendered so by exposure to the air, in the shade.

When dry, the seeds should be put into paper bags.
Co irnon brown paper has been found to answer well for
makii- J such bags. But, as the mode of manufacturing
that paper varies in different countries, the precaution
should be used of putting a portion of the seeds in other
kinds of paper. Those that most effectually exclude
air and moisture, are believed to be the best for that pur-
pose. It would be proper, also, to enclose some of the
seeds in paper or cloth that has been steeped in melted
bees-wax. It has been recommended that seeds collected in
a moist country, or season, be packed in charcoal.

After being put up according to any of these modes, the
seeds should be enclosed in a box; which should be covered
with pitch to protect them from damp, insects, and mice.
During the voyage they should be kept in a cool, airy, and
dry situation ; — not in the hold of the ship.

The oily seeds soonest lose their germinating faculty.
They should be put in a box with sandy earth, in the

8

following manner : — first about two inches of earth at
the bottom ; into this the seeds should be placed at dis-
tances proportionate to their size ; on these another layer of
earth about an inch thick ; and then another layer of
seeds ; — and so on with alternate layers of earth and seeds
until the box is filled within about a foot of the top, which
space should be filled with sand ; taking care that the earth
and sand be well put in, that the seeds may not get out of
place. The box should then be covered with a close net-
work of cord well pitched, or with split hoops or laths
also pitched ; so as to admit the air without exposing the
contents of the box to be disturbed by mice or accident.
The seeds thus put up will germinate during their passage,
and will be in a state to be planted immediately on their
arrival.

Although some seeds with a hard shell, such as nuts,
peaches, plums, &c. do not come up until a long time after
they are sown, it would be proper, when the kernel is oily,
to follow the method just pointed out, that they m?" iiot
turn rancid on the passage. This precaution is alst useful
for the family of laurels, flaurinetej and that of myrtles,
fmyrtij especially when they have to cross the equatorial
seas.

To guard against the casualties to which seeds in a
germinating state may be exposed during a long voyage,
and, as another means of ensuring the success of seeds of
the kinds here recommended to be put into boxes with
earth, it would be well, also, to enclose some ot them
('each seed separately J in a coat of bees- wax, and after-
wards pack them in a box covered with pitch.

In many cases it will be necessary to transmit roots.
Where roots are to be transmitted, fibrous roots should be
dealt with in the manner herein recommended for young
plants. Bulbous and tuberous roots should be put into box-
es in the same manner as has already been recommended

9

lis; except, that, instead of earth, dry

, possible from earthy particles, should be

. of the bulbous and tuberous roots, instead

acked in sand, may be wrapped in paper, and

put in boxes covered with net-work, or laths. Roots should

not be put in the same box with seeds.

Where the seeds of plants cannot be successfully trans-
mitted, they may be sown in boxes, and sent in a vege-
tating state. Where more than one kind is sown in the
same box, they should be kept distinct by laths, fastened
in it crosswise on a level with the surface of the ground
in which they are sown: and, when different soils are
required, it will be necessary to make separate compart-
ments in the box. In either case they should be properly
marked, and referred to in the descriptive notes which ac-
company them.

When plants cannot be propagated from seeds with a cer-
tainty of their possessing the same qualities which long;
culture or other causes may have given them, they may
be sent in a growing state. For this purpose, they should
be taken up when young. Those, however, who are ac-
quainted with their cultivation in the countries where they
grow, will know at what age they may be safely and
advantageously removed. They may be transplanted direct
into the boxes in which they are to be conveyed ; or,
where that cannot be conveniently done, they may be ta-
ken up with a ball of earth about the roots, and the roots
of each surrounded with wet moss, carefully tied about it
to keep the earth moist. They may afterwards be put
into a box, and each plant secured by laths fastened cross-
wise above the roots, and the interstices between the roots,
fdled with wet moss. The same methods may be observed
with young grafted or budded fruit trees.

Where the time will permit, it is desirable that the roots
of the plants be well established in the boxes in which they
3

10

are transplanted. Herbaceous plants re»^^
time for this ; but, for plants of a woody .
three months is sometimes necessary.

Boxes for the conveyance of plants, or of \ .mL

are sown, may be made about two feet broad, two feet
deep, and four feet long, with small holes in the bottom,
covered with a shell, or piece of tile or other similar sub-
stance for letting off any superfluous water. There should
be a layer of wet moss of two or three inches deep at the
bottom, or, if that cannot be had, some very rotten wood
or decayed leaves, and upon that about twelve inches depth
of fresh loamy earth, into which the plants that are to be
transplanted should be set. The surface of the earth should
be covered with a thin layer of moss cut small, which
should be occasionally washed in fresh water during the
voyage, both to keep the surface moist, and to wash off
mouldiness or any saline particles that may be on it.

When the boxes are about to be put on board the ship,
hoops of wood should be fastened to the sides, in such a
manner, that, arching over the box, they may cover the
highest of the plants ; and over these should be stretched a
net work of pitched cord, so as to protect the plants from
external injury, and prevent the earth from being disturbed
by mice or other vermin.

To each box should be fastened a canvass cover, made to
go entirely over it, but so constructed as to be easily put on
or off, as may be necessary, to protect the plants from the
salt water, or winds, and sometimes from the sunshine.
Strong handles should be fixed to the boxes that they may
be conveniently moved.

During the voyage, the plants should be kept in a light,
airy situation, without which, they will perish. They
should not be exposed to severe winds, nor to cold, nor
for a long time to too hot a sunshine, nor to the spray of
the salt water. To prevent injury from the saline particles

11

with which the air is oftentimes charged at sea, (especially
when the waves have white frothy curls upon thenij and
which on evaporation close up the pores of the plants and
destroy them, it will be proper, when they have been ex-
posed to them, to wash off the salt particles by sprinkling
the leaves with fresh water.

The plants and seeds that are sown will occasionally re-
quire watering on the voyage, for which purpose rain
water is best. If, in any special case, particular instruc-
tions on this point, or upon any other connected with the
management of the plants during the voyage, be necessary,
they should be made known to those having charge of the
plants. But, after all, much will depend upon the judi-
cious care of those to whom the plants may be confided
during the voyage.

Plants of the succulent kind, and particularly of the
Cactus family, should not be planted in earth, but in a
mixture of dry sand, old lime rubbish and vegetable mould,
in about equal parts, and should not be watered.

It may not be necessary, in every case, to observe all
the precautions here recommended in regard to the putting
up and transmission of seeds ; but it is believed, that there
will be the risk in departing from them, in proportion to the
distance of the country from which the seeds are to be
brought, and to the difference of its latitude, or of the latitudes
through which they will pass on the voyage. It is not intend-
ed, however, by these instructions, to exclude the adoption
of any other modes of putting up and transmitting seeds
and plants, which are in use in any particular place, and
which have been found successful, especially if more sim-
ple. And it is recommended, not only that the aid of com-
petent persons be accepted in procuring and putting up
the seeds and plants, but that they be invited to offer any
suggestions in regard to the treatment of the plants during-
the voyage, and their cultivation and use afterwards.

12

[Circular.]

NA VY DEPAR TMENT,

SIR:

I have to call jour attention to the enclosed copv
of a communication from the Treasury Department, to the
Consuls of the United States at various posts ; and to desire
that the objects of that communication may be promoted by
you, on all occasions, as far as may be in your powder.

The Executive takes a deep interest in this matter, and,
by particular attention to it, you will probably confer a last-
ing benefit to the country.

The letter of the Secretary of the Treasury is so full and
satisfactory, that no farther explanations seem necessary on
my part.

You will be pleased to report to the Department what you
do in execution of this object, and return the papers to the
Department, when you are detached from the vessel which
you now command.

I am, respectfully, &c. &c.

SAM. L. SOUTHARD.