PROPAGATION BY OFFSHOOTS 61 



with a handle two feet long and a blade at least three 

 inches wide. It should be kept sharp. A curved blade, 

 like that of a big gouge, is an advantage. Any black- 

 smith can make one. Those who have large quantities 

 of offshoots to handle should have a series of such 

 chisels with blades of varying widths from two to four 

 inches. A heavy mallet will complete the equipment 

 for cutting the offshoots; but a sharp knife or sickle 

 must be available to trim off the leaves, and if the 

 offshoots are growing from the ground, a shovel and 

 mattock will be needed. 



The leaves of the offshoot should first be cut back, 

 to make the work easier; then the dirt around its 

 base should be removed, if it is in the ground. Two 

 men are necessary to remove an offshoot properly; 

 one of them bends it down and away from the palm, 

 while the other cuts it loose with the chisel. There is 

 little danger of cutting too deeply into the palm, but 

 there is a good deal of danger of cutting too deeply 

 into the offshoot; therefore the chisel should be driven 

 well in and the shoot brought out with as long a base 

 as possible. An offshoot with a well-formed butt is 

 often found to be attached to the parent only by a 

 slender ligature; this is not only the easiest kind to 

 detach, but the best to grow. 



After the operation, the incision in the parent 

 tree should be painted over with tar, white lead or 

 something similar, and earth piled back around the 

 base, while the offshoot is placed in the shade to dry for 

 a few days. The exact length of time will be deter- 

 mined by the condition of the ground from which it 

 was taken, but there is little danger of getting it too 

 dry, while if it is planted when too full of moisture 



