BOTANY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 113 



E. There are many trees whose germs are 

 so easily excited as to be noted for their extraor- 

 dinary facility in sprouting. No matter what 

 part you put in the ground, a root will take 

 and a plant be produced. We are told that the 

 Willow, Ash, and most trees of white wood, are 

 noted for this readiness. Pope, the celebrated 

 poet, chanced one day to be present on the open- 

 ing of a package which came from Spain, and 

 observing the sticks had some vegetation, fancied 

 they might produce something new in England. 

 With this view he planted a cutting, from 

 whence sprang the parent of many of the finest 

 and most admired specimens. 



Mr. Humboldt, the celebrated naturalist, tells 

 us that while travelling in America, he pro- 

 vided himself with strips of coarse patched cloth, 

 which answered the purpose of baskets in con- 

 fining the earth round branches from which he 

 wished to make layers. He adjusted them 

 round the branches of trees in forests which he 

 intended to traverse on his return some months 

 afterwards, when the germs would have time to 

 sprout, and by this means took with him to 

 Europe a number of curious and valuable new 

 plants. 



