46 
ON A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT WITH THE DRAGON-TREE. 
some of its leaves made their escape through the glass in the roof. There was then no 
alternative left but to proceed with the experiment, further enlarge the house, or destroy 
the fine specimen ; the former was chosen on my assuring my friends of the certainty of 
success, as well as proving its being by far the most economical plan ; for where the object 
is to keep a considerable number of large plants together in one house, it would be very 
injudicious to allow a single species to occupy too much space. From the structure of the 
plant in question, and its tendency, as well as that of many other plants from warm 
countries, to throw out aerial roots, it occurred to me that if completely separated from the 
main root, it would still continue to grow, or at least remain healthy until circumstances 
favoured its sending roots into the soil. 
Having explained the point to be gained by the experiment, I shall now state as 
faithfully as possible the means by which it was accomplished. 
In the first instance, the plant stood twenty feet high, girth of stem three feet six 
inches, circumference of head sixteen feet ; it was secured with braces and ropes so as to 
guard against any accident, and to prevent its position from being in any way changed. 
At about four feet from the surface of the earth in which 
it was growing, I made an incision (a) half an inch deep, 
to the extent of half its circumference, applying lime 
immediately to dry up the wound from which the sap 
oozed in considerable quantities. In this way I con- 
tinued deepening the incision, making sure to dry it 
perfectly, until the stem was finally severed. We next 
removed the lower part of the stem, with all its roots, 
leaving the top of the tree suspended from the roof for 
several months, during which time my anticipations were 
fully realised, by the growth of strong, healthy roots from 
between the woody structure andi the bark-like sub- 
stance ( b ). Our tree, or, as I may call it, gigantic 
cutting, being now ready for insertion in the soil, was 
accordingly lowered into the place occupied by its former 
roots, every care being taken to supply suitable compost 
to induce a vigorous growth. It has been replanted 
about four months, and is quite as healthy and thriving 
as it was before being disturbed. I may remark that the 
success of the experimenFmainly depended on the slow- 
ness with which it was carried on, and the precautions 
taken to dry and harden the stem. 
I should not have troubled you with the above details, 
which, in themselves, may appear dry and uninteresting, 
but from the interest evinced in the success of the ex- 
periment, by the learned professors Allman and Harvey, 
and my excellent friend Mr. Mackav, the curator of the 
College Botanic Garden. I am also led to hope that the 
experiment may prove useful to parties similarly circum- 
stanced ; for I think all Endogenous, and many Exogenous plants, which produce roots 
from their stems, may be reduced in height in the same manner. 
