198 



AVENUES. 



apt to be broken off in bigh -(rinds. It would be more profitable 



Fig. 9.* 



to raise all trees from seed, 



as a tree grown from a branch 



tends to fall into a state of 



decay after a few years, and 



is useless for timber. The 



natural babit of the banyan 



makes it an exception to tbis 



rule. The whole of the 



Ficus tribe grow well from 



branches, and they are not 



so apt to decay as other trees. 



The planting of seedlings 



requires more care and atten- 

 tion than cuttings. A pit 



should be made three feet 



square, and filled with good 

 soil, mixed with rotten 



dung. The plants require 

 to be fenced and watered 

 regularly, and the earth 

 should be dug and kept clear 

 of weeds. In forming ave- 

 nues, the trees should be 

 planted 30 feet apart ; and 

 when there is space, a double 

 row should be planted ; it 

 looks well, and forms a shady arch for pedestrians. Good mais- 

 try gardeners should be employed, each having the oversight 

 of three miles of road, until the trees are independent of water. 

 It would be the duty of these men to keep the avenues com- 

 plete. 



* Trees are much exposed to injuries which disfigure their appear- 

 ance, or retard their growth, and not unfrequently destroy the plants 

 altogether. To prevent these accidents, it is customary to surround the 

 stem with branches of some spiny plants. Those most easily procured in 

 S. India are Acacia arabica and leucophlea, which are widely diffused : they 

 are often placed without care, overtopping and choking the young tree. 



