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branches and between the fused roots, excellent sites for epi- 

 phytes, and the trees are usually pretty well covered with them. 



There are numerous giant specimens of other species of Ficus, 

 and one species is planted as a shade tree outside the garden. 

 The specimens of this in the golf links near the rest-house have 

 massive trunks, immense spreading crowns, and are probably a 

 hundred feet high. 



One of the most interesting displays in the Botanical Garden 

 is made by the two huge trees of India rubber, Ficus elastica. 

 The age of these trees is not known, but they have at present 

 a trunk diameter of five or six feet. At the height of about 

 fifteen feet the trunk breaks up into numerous large spreading 

 branches which form a dense crown probably sixty or eighty 

 feet across and about as high. There are not very many prop 

 roots, but those which are present are all of large size and appear 

 close to the main trunk. The larger branches of the tree are 

 well covered with various species of epiphytes, among which is 

 a triangular stemmed cactus belonging probably to the genus 

 Cereus which is especially prominent. There are also the smaller 

 epiphytic ferns and a few larger bird's-nest ferns. The leaves 

 on the principal branches are only one half the ordinary size, as 

 we see them on the smaller plants in our greenhouse, but leaves 

 of normal size appear regularly on the rapidly growing stems. 

 At the base of the tree is a huge tangle of horizontal roots extend- 

 ing out in all directions from the tree for a distance of about 

 fifty feet. The thickness of these roots is generally less than a 

 foot but their upper surface is irregular and sometimes at least 

 a yard from the ground. 



Trees of the sacred fig, Ficus religiosa, are, of course, planted 

 freely in the Botanical Garden and through the whole vicinity. 

 Besides the planted ones, wild trees are seen coming up in many 

 different places. They seem to show an especial predilection 

 for brick or stone walls and even appear occasionally on the 

 roofs of the houses. As is well known, this tree is sacred to 

 the Buddhists and a true Buddhist is not allowed to destroy or 

 injure a tree in any way. Consequently if one of these trees 

 takes possession of a house roof the fate of that house is usually 



