59 



long, narrow, straight, stalkless, and arranged in opposite 

 rpairs. This is the so-called Willow-gum of Dordrecht and 

 the kStormberg, where it is said to be the only Eucalypt 

 that can stand the cold there. In Tasmania it attains 

 .giant size. Unsifted seed averages 15,800 to the ounce. 



Ficus capensis. CAPE FIGK 



A good-sized tree, indigenous in the warm lower forests 

 at Knysna and the Amatolas. In tropical countries various 

 species of figs are commonly employed for road-side plant- 

 ing. They succeed better than most trees on dry stony 

 ground, and afford an ample and dense shade. They are 

 propagated by simply planting a stake in the ground, 

 watering, and protecting by a mud wall or otherwise. 

 When once rooted they are able to withstand the most 

 intense drought and heat. In a nursery, fig trees are 

 -raised easily from layers and cuttings ; with difficulty from 

 seed. 



Ficus elastica, INDIA-RUBBER FIG. 



Will only grow in warm, moist situations, and it will 

 only yield rubber in its home in the steamy tropical forests 



>of Assam. Even in Assam and other tropical countries 

 where it grows to a large handsome tree, if planted outside 

 its native forest it yields no rubber. It would be useless 

 therefore to plant, as has been proposed, the India-rubber 



"tree in Cape Colony for the sake of getting rubber. 



Ficus jnacrophylla. MORETON BAY FIG- 



Several species of fig tree (not the eating fig, Ficus 

 carrica), have been planted in Cape Colony for shade. Of 

 these the Moreton Bay fig is the best known. It: succeeds 

 well at Port Elizabeth and elsewhere near the coast. It is 

 very like the India-rubber tree Ficus elastica, but has a some- 

 what larger leaf, less rough and brownish underneath. The 

 difference between these two trees should be noted as they 

 ;.are often sold the one for the other, and the Australian 

 ;;tree is the hardier and better one for planting. 



