62 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
ing period without losing either stock or scion, since the scion 
is not segregated from its roots until there is a perfect union. 
The mangosteen is regarded by some as the most delicious 
of tropical fruits, and a special effort is being made to include 
this tree in the new tropical fruit collection now being estab- 
lished at the Garden. Its rooting system is extremely poor, 
especially during the seedling stage, which is the critical 
period. However, success has been attained by the method 
of inarching, using for stock plants the same genus, but a 
different species possessing a strong rooting system. 
In 1913 plants of the mangosteen were imported from Cey- 
lon for the large conservatories. Half of these were imme- 
diately set out in the economic house and the other half 
planted in pots and placed in the private growing houses. 
The attempt to grow these trees directly in the open ground 
upon their own roots was unsuccessful, but those which were 
carefully nursed in the private houses produced satisfactory 
growth. In 1915 seeds were obtained from India of a strong- 
rooting species, Garcinia wanthochymus, with the intention of 
trying it for a stock plant. These seed were given especial 
care and germinated shortly after. Recently the seedlings 
attained sufficient size to warrant attempting to graft the 
scions of the true mangosteen upon them. 
The particular method of inarching depends upon whether 
both stock and scion are seedlings of equal size or whether one 
or the other must be taken from a larger specimen. In the 
experiments conducted at the Garden the true mangosteen 
scion is much the larger plant. Therefore the seedling stock 
plant had to be elevated to the height of the young scion, 
and the shoots chosen to be joined were those corresponding 
as nearly as possible in age, thickness, vigor of growth, ete. 
A thin slice approximately one-third the thickness of the stems 
was cut from both the scion and the stock in such a man- 
ner as to leave a perfectly even joint, the cut being made 
long enough to make a good strong union. The slicing or 
eutting of the outer layers should be accomplished as speedily 
as possible to prevent the sudden drying up of the exposed 
tissues. The cut areas of the two shoots are then brought 
as close together as possible, and securely bound with raffia. 
To further prevent any possibility of drying, the cut por- 
tions are covered with grafting wax. The plants are then 
placed in a Wardian case where all drafts are excluded, and 
eare is taken, to keep both the roots of stock and scion moist. 
Within three weeks a perfect union should be effected. 
After the true mangosteen shoot has adhered to its foster 
parent it becomes necessary to sever it from the original 
plant, leaving only the grafted shoot of the true mangosteen, 
