110 GROWTH OF ROOTS FROM BRANCHES. BANYAN TREES. 



an important article of food to Man. That these tubers are still 

 parts of the stem, is shown by their power of originating buds, 

 from the points commonly known as the eyes of the Potato. 

 When, therefore, we divide the tuber into pieces, keeping an eye 

 in each, from every one of which we expect a young plant to 

 spring, we follow in fact the same plan, as that adopted in plant- 

 ing Sugar-Canes ; which are not propagated from seed, but by 

 dividing the stem into its internodes, and laying each of these 

 separately in the ground. And thus it is seen, that the division 

 of the creeping stem of the Couch-grass, effects in reality the 

 same end. The quantity of fleshy matter deposited in the Potato, 

 serves for the nourishment of the growing buds before their roots 

 are formed ; and thus it is that, if exposed to a warm and moist 

 atmosphere, they are liable to sprout, without the contact ot 

 earth. It is remarkable that, in their native climate (the tropi- 

 cal part of South America), the tubers of the Potato are ex- 

 tremely small ; and that they become so, when plants are raised 

 from British stocks, in any countries equally hot. 



152. In all these instances it is seen, that not only buds, but 

 roots, may arise from different parts of the stem and branches. 

 But this tendency is by no means confined to such as grow on or 

 beneath the ground. There are many trees, of which the branches 

 naturally hang downwards ; and if these reach the ground, they 

 give origin to a new set of roots, which serve for their own nourish- 

 ment, and for that of the shoots they send off, so that they become 

 so many secondary stems. The most curious examples of this 

 kind are the Banyan trees of the East Indies, of which one in- 

 dividual sometimes constitutes a miniature forest. The most 

 celebrated specimen is that of Cubbeer-bur ; which, many years 

 since, possessed 350 principal trunks, and smaller stems amount- 

 ing to more than 3000 ; every one of which was casting out new 

 branches and hanging roots, to form future trunks. The space of 

 ground which it covered was such, that it was estimated that 

 7000 persons might have found ample room to repose beneath its 

 shade. These trees are held by the Hindoos in superstitious 

 reverence, and are dedicated to religious observances. Our own 

 sacred poet, Milton, has given a beautiful delineation of them : 



