Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward
Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward ( * 1791 in London, † June 4, 1868 in St Leonards, Sussex ) was an English physician who has made popular with his " Ward'schen box " portable greenhouses from the 1830s. Ward is referred to today often referred to as " greenhouse - inventor", but the Scot Alan Maconochie had been discovered in 1825 the greenhouse phenomenon with a wooden box with glass lid, but was silent after Ward's publications modestly so.
Life
Nathaniel Ward was born in 1791 as son of the physician Stephen Smith Ward in London. As a child, he collected insects and plants, and was particularly interested in ferns. As an adult, he worked alongside his medical activities continue in the field of botany.
1817 Ward was a member of the Linnean Society of London.
In the summer of 1829, he experimented for the first time with an earth-filled vessel which he closed with a glass lid. He noted that the ascending out of the earth moisture evaporation reflected on the cover and dripped back down to earth again. After about a week the first germinated plant seeds while maintaining a constant humidity level. In closed glass containers, including lovers of tropical plants could create a miniature jungle in other climates. 1833 Ward sent two specially made glass boxes with ferns and grasses on the at that time still more month voyage from England to Australia and back. Although the plants were never cast it, they showed no adverse effects even after more than one year. Ward then made his invention known and collector of exotic plants could henceforth successfully convey not only seeds but also live plants in these mini- greenhouses over long distances.
Ward'scher box
Ward's invention became famous under the name Ward'scher box and was used from 1835 to the botanical discovery and collection trips of plant hunters to also transport plants intact for several months by ship can.
The Ward'sche box is a
" Means for transporting and for the culture of plants under otherwise unfavorable conditions, consists of a flat metal, well -painted piece of ground, on which is a metal frame for holding glass plates rises. The latter forming the side walls and the ceiling of the box. The base piece, which has a few inches high edge, is filled with earth, is in this the seeds or plants, basting, and then closes the box completely. The plants thrive excellently, because they are protected from dust and rugged temperature changes and adequately provided with moisture, as water can never evaporate. For tropical plants suitable temperature can be aided by a little oil or spirit lamp easily produced. In England and in more recent times several times in German-speaking the Ward 's box in elegant fittings are used to culture more tender plants indoors. Important are the services which they provide in the relocation of plants. Fortune she used to transport thousands of tea plants in the Himalayas, to Virginia and California, Haßkarl has transplanted with their help China bark trees from America to Java. See Ward, Observations on the growth of plants in Closely - glazed cases (2nd edition, Lond. 1854). "
In the " Long House " of the Orangerie in the Park Belvedere in Weimar Ward'sche the box can be seen in neuaufgelegtem, modern design.