Arboriculture in relation to Geology. 291 



The Chinese apply to this a ball of earth mingled with clay, 

 to impart greater consistency to it, and this is covered with 

 moss, and secured by bandages formed of some pliant ma- 

 terial : a small pan, containing water, is suspended over it, 

 and serves to keep the ball moist. This method, as success- 

 fully pursued in this country, was first pointed out to me by 

 Sir Lauchlan MacLean of Sudbury. The Italians often adopt 

 the plan; and I have seen a large orange tree, 14 feet high, 

 loaded with growing fruit, thus separated from the aged 

 parent stock, and exposed for sale in the market at Naples. 

 I have witnessed the plan in full operation near the royal ob- 

 servatory of that city. One obvious advantage is, that no 

 time is lost in the growth of the tree ; nay, the very abs- 

 traction of the ring of bark from the branch rather expedites 

 than otherwise the evolution of fruit. The Italians have 

 improved on the rude plan of the Chinese, by enclosing in a 

 tin case the stem of the future independent tree: it is filled 

 with earth, pressed down, and covered with moss, which 

 is preserved moist in the way I have already described. 

 This part of it I have improved, by suspending the tin vessel 

 which contains the water on an adjoining branch above the 

 ball, while a woollen thread, previously moist, forms a line of 

 communication, and affords a constant regular supply, on the 

 principle of the siphon, and the capillary attraction of the 

 fibres of the thread. A lid prevents the loss by evaporation 

 from the surface of the water confined in the vessel. 



A linear mcision in the bark above a bud, it has been 

 stated, will convert that bud into a branch. Last season I 

 tried several experiments of this kind on a fig, cutting out a 

 narrow strip of bark, over the bud, in the form of an inverted 

 V, and succeeded in producing branches in five out of seven 

 instances. The want of success in these two, I suspect, arose 

 from the imperfect separation of the lips of the bark, and 

 insufficient depth of the incision. 



I am. Sir, yours, &c. 

 Jan. 20. 1833. J. Murray. 



Art. VI. On Arboriculture in relation to Geology. 

 By Causidicus. 



Sir, 

 I VENTURE to trouble you with some remarks on the pre- 

 dilection which different trees indicate for different soils, in 

 the hope that they may occasionally furnish hints to planters 

 for their selection of species, and prevent the meagre, starved, 



u 2 



