1() THE MANGO IN PORTO RICO. 



Inarched stocK in Wardian cases can be shipped long distances, and 

 importations into Florida have shown that if properh^ handled a fair 

 percentage of the plants may be expected to live. 



Other forms of grafting are also used to some extent to propagate 

 mangoes. Grafting is, however, diflBcult in the case of the mango, 

 and can only be practiced b}'^ experienced hands. 



LAYERING. 



Propagation by layering, a method used to some extent wtere early 

 fruiting trees are desired, is described in Firminger's Manual of Gar- 

 dening (p. 86), as follows: 



Select a branch of ripened wood of the plant to he layered that will hear being 

 bent down to the earth without breaking. Cut the branch half through with a 

 sharp knife just under one of the leaf buds toward its extremity, and then pass the 

 knife upward, so as to slit the branch about an inch or two up. The slit piece, with 

 the leaf bud at its extremity, called the "tongue," should be kept open by inserting 

 a small piece of tile. Remove the earth to the depth of 2 or 3 inches from, or place 

 a flowerpot over, the spot just where the tongue falls on the branch being berit 

 down; then carefully bend the tongued part of the branch into the earth or into the 

 flower pot, secure it in that position by a peg, and cover it over with earth, which 

 should be pressed down and watered. 



Chinese layering, a variation of this method, called gootee in India, 

 where it is used to some extent, is described by Mr. Masters" of the 

 Calcutta Botanical Gardens as follows: 



Select a firm, healthy branch, the wood of which is well ripened, and immediately 

 under a leaf bud take off a small ring of bark about 1 inch wide. Scrape the woody 

 part well, so that no bark remains. Apply a V)all of well-tempered clay; bind it on 

 securely with a tow or other soft bandage; make it fast to a stake if necessary; hang 

 a small pot, having a hole in the bottom, just over the gootee and supply it with 

 water daily. In a few months you obtain a fine, well-rooted plant. 



As the fibers are emitted from the buds that are above the wound they will descend 

 into the ball of earth and form roots. As soon as they are seen protruding them- 

 selves through the bandage, the branch may be cut off from the parent tree, and 

 planted where it is intended it should remain. This appears to be the most expe- 

 ditious method of 'obtaining strong, well-rooted plants, and, at the same time, is a 

 sure method of procuring duplicates of any desirable variety. 



An ingenious method for watering the gootee is described by Fir- 

 minger, as follows: 



A piece of rope has a knot tied at one end of it, the other end is passed within the 

 pot and drawn through the hole at its bottom until the knot is brought down to fall 

 upon and close up the hole. The rope, thus secured by its knotted end within the 

 pot, is carried on at full stretch and coiled around the gootee. By this means the 

 water, when poured into the pot, oozes slowly out, trickles "down the rope and along 

 the coil, and so distributes itself along the whole gootee. 



Trees started by layering or gootee are said to be prolific, but to 

 bear small fruit. They are also thought to be short lived. These 

 objections are so great that these methods are seldom emplo^^ed. 



"Firminger's Manual of Gardening, pp. 87, 88. 



