146 The Agrictdtural and HortictiUural Society of India. 



and then with a cloth in his hand, would forcibly pull off the 

 ring of bark, taking care not to injure the bud ; after which, he 

 would proceed in the same way with the buds below. Having 

 collected a sufficient number, and kept them fresh in the hollow 

 of a leaf with a little water, he would proceed to the stocks to 

 be engrafted, and having cut off the head, where the stock ap- 

 peared of a proper size, he would strip the bark in small shreds 

 all round to a sufficient depth, until a ring of the bark being 

 applied, very exactly fitted. The shreds were then collected 

 over the ring of bark and tied above, and bound together by a 

 little moist hay, taking care not to press upon the bud. This 

 perhaps combines the advantages of being the most successful, 

 the most easy, and most simple mode of engrafting or budding." 

 The Society of Agriculture and Horticulture of Calcutta has 

 imported from Europe many varieties of fruits and pulse, which it 

 has distributed among the native gardeners ; it has also awarded 

 prizes for successful culture. " We cannot,"" says M. de CandoUe, 

 " sufficiently praise the zeal and prudence that distinguish its ef- 

 forts for the improvement of Indian agriculture ; and we must 

 also remark how much in this point of view the English domi- 

 nion, compared to that of preceding possessors, is a fortunate 

 circumstance for this vast country. We must not forget that 

 the impulse given to agriculture comes above all from the go- 

 vernment of the country, for the Botanic Garden of Calcutta is 

 the place where they make all kinds of experiments, and whence 

 a number of seeds and useful plants are distributed among pri- 

 vate individuals, and in the provincial gardens throughout Bri- 

 tish India. This magnificent establishment has enjoyed, during 

 many years, an annual revenue of L. 5000 (125,000 fr. de 

 France), which has enabled them to cultivate a very large tract 

 of ground, to pay travellers to the interior of India, to correspond 

 liberally with the gardens of Europe, and to give a comfortable 

 salary to a skilful botanist charged with the direction of it. 

 The particular circumstances of the India Company have 

 forced it to diminish the income of the gardens ; but we trust 

 this system will not be pushed too far, for, without speaking of 

 the utility of the garden of Calcutta in a sense purely scientific, 

 it cannot be denied that it has rendered great services, whether 

 by introducing into India all the best fruits of the equatorial 



