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growth that require support. From this stock forty-four cuttings 

 have been taken under the following processes : — 



Propagation. — Reproduction has either been brought about by 

 layers or cuttings. I give a preference to the former practice, as 

 being less hurtful to the parent, surer of success, and admitting of 

 larger and more vigorous plants being obtained ; there are cases, 

 however, where the branches are not conveniently situated for lay- 

 ering ; in that case, the same end can be accomplished either by 

 being struck in a basket, suspended to a tree, or by the ingenious 

 method of gootee, to be described presently. 



Layering — has always been conducted before the ascent of the 

 sap, or postponed until the process is completed; in other 

 words, between the 15th March to 15th April, or the 15th June and 

 15th July, are the seasons at which this operation has been carried 

 out ; when the former part of the year has been chosen, the layers 

 have had to be constantly kept moist and sheltered from the sun 

 during the heat of the day and exposed to the dews at night. 



363. The branch operated on has been selected from wood of the 

 previous year's growth ; a notch being cut to half the thickness 

 of the layer just under a leaf bud, with a slit of an inch or so up 

 the stem, which is kept apart by a splinter. These precautions 

 prevent the return of the sap to the main channel, and result in the 

 surplus fluid being employed in the formation of roots to the new 

 plant. 



364. The ground was well worked up, and the layer buried to a 

 depth proportionate to its size, but care had to be taken that the 

 future plant was held firm in its place by hooked pegs, and that 

 the top of the layer was preserved in an upright position. 



365. Beyond seeing that the layers do not spring, and that 

 shade, and a uniformity of moisture is preserved, no further pre- 

 caution is required until the time arrives for severing it from the 

 parent tree, which is generally about the end of September. Gootee 

 is another method of propagation practiced with success ; it cor- 

 responds nearly to the Chinese system of layering. I prefer it to 

 the first process, for the branches of the Ficus elastica are not always 

 conveniently situated for layering in the ordinary way. 



366. The following description is taken from Firminger on 

 Indian Gardening, — a work I am indebted to for the system : — 



" The mode of propagation by Gootee is thus described by Mr. 

 " Masters, formerly head-gardener in the Calcutta Botanical Gar- 

 " dens : 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 one inch wide. Scrape the woody part well, so 

 11 that none remains. Apply a ball of well-tempered clay ; bind it 



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