5o4 



word to adopt, is for many hardwooded trees and shrubs the most 

 simple and certain of all methods of propagation, and in some 

 cases the only one. 



There are very few trees that are not amenable to this manner 

 of propagation if done under favourable weather conditions. As 

 an example I may mention that in May last I saw in the forest 

 plantation in Selangor a number of Casuarinas (> Kayu Ru r that 

 had been successfully Marcotted. The object aimed at is of course 

 course the production of roots at a given point of the branch or 

 stem before severing it from the parent plant. This done by, in 

 most cases, removing a ring of bark or in cutting partly through 

 the branch and then wrapping around this particular part some 

 moisture retaining material which should never be allowed to get 

 absolutely dry. And therein lies the difficulty to the case of plants 

 that take some months to produce roots by this method. 



To attach a sufficiently large quantity of material to hold moisture 

 for a considerable time is often an awkward business and when 

 done the weight, unless the branch is a particularly stout one or 

 supported with props, bends the top over so that by the time it is 

 rooted it is an unshapely specimen. In dry weather frequent wa- 

 tering is necessary, and if the more or less rounded mass of 

 material once becomes thoroughly dry it takes a great deal of 

 watering before it again becomes saturated through. To lessen 

 these difficulties we have hit on a plan of using bamboo stakes and 

 for plants that are of a suitable height and size it is found to be an 

 improvement in several respects on the old method of tying balls of 

 coconut fibre, moss clay, or any other material. The accompanying 

 illustration will show more clearly than any written description 

 the manner in which the bamboo is cut and used. This method 

 has several advantages not the least being its capacity, if set in an 

 upright position, of catching all the rain that falls within the radius 

 of the opening of the bamboo and greater facility and economy 

 in watering in dry weather. Evaporation is much less rapid and 

 the shoot having been kept in an upright position during the time 

 it has been forming roots is a much more shapely plant when 

 severed from the parent. The larger the bamboo used the better 

 as the greater the quantity of material, whether moss, coconut 

 fibre, leaf-mould, or clay, the less frequent will watering be neces- 

 sary, and the quantity is often of more importance than the quality, 

 the important point being to prevent its becoming alternately wet 

 and dry. By cutting out the slit (A) about one and-a-half or two 

 inches above the node (joint) as shown in the illustration moisture 

 is retained in the lower portion and yet not in a position to cause 

 the soil at the rooting point to become sodden. When bamboos 

 are easily obtainable the work can be very quickly and cheaply 

 done. The saw is drawn across at (B) and with a parang or hat- 

 chet the door or opening is slit out in an instant. If the branch is 

 stout a little notch either in the door or the stake, or both, is 

 necessary, but in the case of thin shoots it does not much matter.' 

 The slit when replaced is kept in position by tying it with a piece 

 of rotan or fine wire. The wettest season of the year should be 



