Phenix, DIOERCIA HEXANDRIA, 787 
raised thousands from seed in the Botanic garden, many 
of which I have tried to bring to perfection there, and have 
distributed others over many parts of the country. The 
greatest advance that I have yet known, has been that some 
male trees lived to blossom, soon after which they have uni- 
formly perished. 
Captain Benjamin Blake ist B was lately at Bussora informs 
me that he used frequently to walk in these date gardens, 
and observed their method of impregnating the female flow- 
ers, which was by making a slit in the spathe a little before 
it would burst spontaneously, and thrusting into it a branch, 
or a part, of the male spadix, where it was left. This he says, 
was the whole of the operation, and it appears a much more 
certain method, than hanging the male branch over the fe- 
male. t 
A, PY sylvestris. R. 
- Leaflets in sub-opposite fascicles, ensiform, spinous-point- 
ed, pointing four ways, 
\, Katou-indel. Rheed, Mal. iii, t, 22. 23, 24, and25. 
a Teling. Pedda-eita. 
_ Sans, Khurjura, 
_ Beng, Khujjoor. 
.. Elate sylvestris. Linn. 
This tree is very common all over India, all Be Sree 
tions seem to suit it equally well, Flowering time the begin- 
ning of the hot season, 
. Its parts of fructification are exactly as in P. farinifera, 
except that here are six small nectarial scales round the base 
of the germs. But it differs from it most conspicuously in 
growing to be a tree with a long, pretty thick trunk, and hav- 
ing longer yellowish or reddish fruit, This tree yields Tar?, 
or Palm wine during the cold season. The method of ex- 
tracting it destroys the appearance and fertility of the tree. 
The fruit of those that have been cut for drawing off the , 
juice being very small, 
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