CELEBRATED TEEES. 209 



the mode of its ^propagation. Its branches, he 

 says, grow horizontally about twelve cubits, and 

 then take a direction to the earth, where they 

 root themselves, and, when they have attained 

 maturity, continue to propagate in the same 

 manner, till the ground is covered with them for a 

 considerable space, or, as Strabo more expressively 

 describes it, till the whole becomes like a tent sup- 

 forted by many columns.* This seems to be the 

 tree of which Milton speaks. 



' Erancliiiig so broad and long, that in the ground 

 Tlie bended twigs take root ; and daughters grow 

 About the mother tree ; a pillared shade, 

 High over-arched, with echoing walks between. 

 There oft the Indian herdsman, shunning heat, 

 Shelters in cool ; and tends his pasturing herds 

 At loopholes cut through tliickest shade.' 



Modern travellers speak of an Indian tree like 

 this (the only tree of the kind they know), which 

 they call the Banian tree, or Indian Fig. In its 

 mode of propagation it corresponds rather with 

 Strabo's description than Evelyn's. We are in- 

 formed however that, although common in India, 



■■'' IloXvcTTvXu) a-K-qvi] o/xoioi/, p. 094, edit. Gaus. 







