186 The Vegetable Individual in its relation to Species. 
supports are chat efficacious in preserving trees than even artifi- 
cial ones; since they not only prop the branches, but conduct 
Beirinh trent to them by a shorter road, as is actually found to be 
the case in Rhizophora Mangle, in various species of figs, [Ban- 
yan, &c.], and other tropical trees, whose branches high in air 
send down strong roots into the earth. A similar example nearer 
home, though indeed on a much smaller scale, is found in the Ju- 
niperus Sabina. Its branches, which spring from a low stem, 
curve down to the earth, strike numerous roots, and raise them- 
selves again, so that the comparatively feeble stem may carry a 
creeping crown of considerable extent, like a thick wood contin- 
ually spreading, and which may continue to flourish in its parts, 
even w 
and nourisher of the whole colony and the succeeding new 
growths, which are constantly receding from it, has finally ceased. 
A remarkable specimen of this tree stands in the Royal Botanical 
Garden at Schoneberg, which, if not as old as the Garden itself, 
which was laid out in 1679 under the great Elector, — 
William, certainly dates as far back as Gleditsch’s time, and 
directorship co commenced in 1744. The main stem is not more hae 
33 inches in circumference at eight inches above the ground, 
close under the place where the first branches ee nO the cen- 
nef ese of the crown which belongs immediately to the stem, 
only nine feet high, and has been dying off during several 
pt while the maximum diameter, from S. to N. E., of the 
undred-rooted crown, which has s spread out a sr the ground by 
the declination of mi branches, measures 35 feet; the entire cit- 
cumference of the crown, which amounts ri at 100 feet, 
would be still more orididerable if it had been permitted to spread 
on every side, and if the branches on the N. E. side had not been 
removed at an early day. 
What has just been said of trees admits of no doubt as regards 
perennial herbs (plantz redivive) with subterranean creeping 
stems or stolons. Such plant-stocks as those of the well-known 
Paris, Anemone nemorosa, Convallaria majalis, Asperula odo- 
rata, are pee ac exposed to none but a casual death. * All 
ple individuals. 
* The same relations of great unlimited age are found in which form 
stocks, Of. Ehrenberg: Abh. d. Acad. for 1832, p. 382, 420, where among © others, 
stocks of Mzandriz and i are refe _ to, larger than a cord of wood—which 
may readily be supposed to have been seen by Pharaoh. 
T pass over the onshore pon inti mately connected with this — whether 
the composite plant-stock itself, with all its subordinate e generations, W 2 its pos 
sible e divisions, —viz., the individual i in the meet comprehensive sense (in hich Galle- 
ife, though not easy to } 
on account of the narrow space of time seNSE: -R © our direct experience. 
