FICUS 



leaf, the leaf being curled up and tied with raffia, an \ 

 the small piece with the eve set into the propagatin 



bed. This is a l.c,l ..f sharr - I, -.i- -..m. ni.i.-s of sa d 



and chojip'-il s|ilia:,'lnllir II -■ I lili.-l-. F 



quently til'' sjii^ii'-rvi' .tin ]■ _ ■ :• i , -nia- into tl 



smallest siz.-.l timmli-pot, \v :: h :i it,ix:iirc c.i v,-ry tinel 

 ground potsherd and charcoal rilling aliout one-half th 

 pot, and either soil or sand tor the balance. A small 

 stick is used to hold the leaf upright. These pots a 

 plunged into the propagating benches in either sand 



820. Ficus clastica, the Rubber Plant o( florists, 



moss or fiber, and a steady bottom heat of from 75° to 80 

 is applied and kept up until the plants are rooted. A. 

 a rule, such beds are inclosed in a glasshouse, in 

 der to keep about them close, warm and moist atm 

 phere. Only ventilation enough to permit the nioistu 

 caused by the evaporation to escape is allowed on th 

 beds. In this country, propagation by the first describ i 

 method can be continued nearly all the year roun 1 

 From experience of both methods, the writer can say 

 that the top-cutting and mossing process is better by fa 

 especially where plenty of stock plants can be ma n 

 tained. 



After being shifted from the smaller sized pots int 

 3- or 4-in. ]".rs. the young plants will stand a great d 1 



sev.-ri- lieat .lurmij tin- summer. jj_ ^, Sikbrecht 



Within recent years a much-branched or tree-shap 1 

 style of Rubber Plant has attained a considerable 1 

 gree of popularity. It is possible to produce such a 

 plant by topping it at any desired height while it is 

 a free growing condition. However, the best shap 1 

 plants are obtained only by natural branching. In or 1 

 to induce Rubber Plants to branch freely without tl 

 intervention of topping, it is necessary to keep th 

 plants dry and cool for two or three months in th 

 spring, in order to get them thoroughly rested. Th 

 plant them in a frame or in open ground that has been 



h ghly f t 

 plant t t 

 that t 

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FIG 



FIG 

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585 



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