You can have a bundle of assorted Priority boxes delivered with your mail. The demand for boxes is so high that the post offices have trouble keep them in stock. All priority boxes are free regardless of where you obtain them. As long as the are sealed properly (straight) they are the least likely of any boxes to get damaged much better then padded envelopes. The danger zone is 1/4" where something a bit over 1/4" or uneven may go under the 1/4" cullers if there is stickiness exposed. Frank Cooper -----Original Message----- From: Jane McGary Sent: Sunday, July 14, 2013 4:46 PM To: Pacific Bulb Society Subject: Re: [pbs] Sending Seeds Speaking of small cardboard boxes, I was very frustrated at being unable to find any at nearby Post Office branches and having the USPS website malfunction on me, so I went to an Office Depot to buy boxes and discovered they have STACKS of USPS Priority Mail boxes there, for free, because they ship them from their shipping desk. So if your PO is going under as so many are, head for Office Depot. The smallest Priority boxes are fiendish to assemble but are perfect for mailing seeds or a few bulbs. WHen I did the NARGS Seed Exchange intake phase for three years, I saw every possible form of seed packaging and mailing device. The most crucial points are (a) tape seed envelopes shut, do not depend on their glue; and (b) be aware that some seeds, such as Paeonia, are very moist and will mold in plastic, cause paper envelopes to fall apart, and excessively moisten other kinds of seeds in the parcel. I usually ended up with a good amount of loose seed that fell out of the mailing envelopes or boxes when I emptied them. I dared not plant it, though; it went into the burn barrel along with the noxious weed seed that some donors thought were interesting "wildflowers." Jane McGary Portland, Oregon, USA A> Most here know what I am about to say in this paragraph. Dell has more > > experience > > shipping fleshy seed and small bulbs than most of us. He often uses > > small > > cardboard > > boxes. Inside he uses foam peanuts and paper for cushioning. For hard > > dry > > seed Dell uses > > padded envelopes. _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/