On the Propagation of Tndt-trees ly discission. 1 15 



cision, care being taken that the rope, uhlch by this time 

 is nearly rotten, is not shaken off by the motion. The 

 branch is then planted as a young tree. 



It appears probable, that to succeed with this operation 

 in Europe, a longer period would be necessary, vegetation 

 being much slower in Europe than in India, the chief field 

 of my experiments. I am, however, of opinion, from some 

 trials which I have lately made on cherry-trees, that an ad- 

 ditional month would be adequate to make up for the de- 

 ficiency of climate. 



The advantages to be derived from this method are, that 

 a further growth of three or four years is sufficient, when 

 the branches are of any considerable size, to bring them to 

 their full bearing state; whereas, even in India, eight or ten 

 years are necessary with most kinds of fruit-trees, if raised 

 from the see J. 



When at Prince of Wales's Island, I had an opportunity 

 of seeing this proved by experiment. Some orange trees 

 had been raised by a gentleman, from seeds sown in 1786, 

 which had not borne fruit in 17D5, while branches taken 

 off by the Chinese mode in 1791, had produced two plen- 

 tiful crops. 



Whether forest trees might be propagated in Europe in 

 the same manner, I have not had experience sufficient to 

 form a judgment : if it should be found practicable, ihe ad- 

 vantages from it would be great, as the infancy of trees 

 Would, by this means, be done away, a period which, from 

 the slowness of their growth, and the accidents to which they 

 are liable, is the most discouraging to planters. 



The adoption of this method will, at all events, be of 

 great use in multiplying such plants as are natives of warmer 

 climates, the seeds of which do not arrive here at sufficient 

 maturity to render them prolific. 



I have frequently remarked that such branches of fruit- 

 trees as were under the operation of abscission, during the 

 time of bearing, were more laden with fruit than any other 

 part of the tree. It appeared to me probable, that this arose 

 from a pleihora or fulness, occasioned by the communica- 

 tion between the trunk and branches, through the descend- 



H 2 ing 



