410 Propagation o/'Cunninghamm and Arauc&ria. 



(Jig. 117-)? g ot over t^ e in 



difficulty in the following 

 manner : — In this garden 

 were two plants about 

 from two to three feet 

 high, struck from cuttings 

 several years ago, andi 

 although in very luxuriant^ 

 health, their tops still re- 

 tained the appearance of a 

 branch, which, even when 

 tied up to a stake, al- 

 ways seemed as if endea- 

 vouring to regain its hori- 

 zontal position. During the winter of 1825 I loosed the top of 

 one from its stake, and fastened it down in quite a horizontal di- 

 rection; in about six weeks afterwards a very vigorous shoot made 

 its appearance from below the surface of the earth in the pot. 

 When this shoot had attained the height of eight or nine inches, 

 I cut away the old top entirely, and at this time the plant is 

 nearly two feet high, furnished all round with three sets or 

 tiers of regular horizontal branches. I may add that this plant 

 flowered with us about six 

 weeks ago, and was figured 

 by Dr. Hooker. (Botanical 

 Magazine, 2743.) One year 

 after, I repeated the experi- 

 ment upon my other plant,, 

 and with the very same suc- 

 cess. I regret that want of 

 materials to operate upon pre- 

 vents me from trying the plan 

 upon Arauc&ria excelsa or 

 imbricata (Jig. 118.); but if 

 you should think the above 

 worth inserting in your most 

 interesting and useful Maga- 

 zine, it may induce some of 

 your numerous correspondents 

 to try the operation upon these plants, and I should like much 

 to learn (through the same channel) the result of such ex- 

 periment. 



I am, Sir, &c. 

 Glasgow Botanic Garden, Stewart Murray. 



February 28. 1827. 



118 



