206 APPENDIX. 



health. In May 1819, I took a very small pot, about two 

 inches in diameter, and filled it with earth as I had done 

 the others, and set it on the surface of the earth in the third 

 pot which now supported the plant. Into this small pot I 

 introduced a root which came from the same branch, a little 

 below the one which was in the larger (third) pot. As soon 

 as the small pot was filled with roots, I supplied it freely 

 with water, and gave the larger pot none but what might hap- 

 pen to run through the small one. After remaining in this 

 state for near two months, I cut the branch off between the 

 two pots ; I still supplied the small pot only with water, but 

 occasionally at this time threw a little water over the whole 

 plant. It continued to look as well as it had done before. 



" In July last 1819, 1 examined the small pot (the fourth 

 used), arid found it completely filled with roots, very little 

 earth remaining in the pot. By this time the plant appeared 

 to me to be very tenacious of life, and I determined to try 

 whether it would live wholly without earth. I accordingly took 

 the small (fourth) pot off, and gradually worked off what little 

 earth remained among the roots. I at this time, however, 

 threw plenty of water over the leaves, generally twice in 

 the day: this was done about the latter end of July, when 

 the weather was very warm, but it seemed to have no bad 

 effects on the Ficus. 



" What may appear rather remarkable, is, that though this 

 Ficus is a plant by no means free in producing fruit in the 

 usual way of cultivating it, this specimen, quite suspended 

 without a particle of earth, was loaded with figs during the 

 months of September, October, and part of November. Two 

 fruit were produced at the axilla of almost every leaf, and 

 these were quite as large as I had ever seen on the plant in 

 the hot-houses of Kew garden. The plant is beginning to 

 grow or extend, although it has now been suspended for 

 eight months without a particle of earth, and during that 

 time we have had very hot weather, and also very coid 

 weather. Roots have been put out very freely all over the 

 stem and branches during that time. The plant now 



