558 Notices of Communications to the Society, of which 



fully expanded, or rather till they are passing into fruit, or 

 even till the fruit is set. The sap being interrupted in its 

 descent by the annular incision, is held in the bough, and 

 thus the fruit gains a more ready and uninterrupted supply 

 of nourishment, the consequence of which is not only an 

 increase of size but earlier maturity. This operation, be- 

 sides, may be serviceable in ripening the seeds of plants, 

 which otherwise would not be perfected, for as the fruit is 

 sooner ripened so the seeds well likewise be sooner ma- 

 tured. 



When the influence of ringing is limited to three or four 

 months, as in the case of Maturation Ringing, it is obvious 

 that the ring need not be so broad as when it is to be extended 

 to a longer period ; from which it follows that Maturation 

 Ringing, as it keeps the bark separated for a shorter period, 

 will do less injury to the health of the branch than the other 

 mode. 



Ringing is an excellent method for making layers of hard- 

 wooded plants strike root with greater certainty, and in a 

 smaller space of time than is attained in any other way. The 

 accumulated vegetable matter in the callus, which is formed 

 on the upper edge of the ring, when brought into contact 

 with the soil, or any material calculated to excite vegeta- 

 tion, readily breaks into fibres and roots. By this means 

 cuttings may be rendered more tractable for propagation. 

 If a ring be made on the shoot which is to furnish the cut- 

 ting, a callus will be created, which, if inserted in the ground 

 after the cutting is taken off, will freely emit roots. A liga- 

 ture would perhaps operate in a similar manner, though not 

 so efficiently ; it should tightly encircle the shoot destined 



