6 BULLETIN 5 9, HAWAII EXPERIMENT STATION 
M. whelam&h, of Queensland, a medium-sized tree ; M. prealta, another 
Queensland tree, sometimes lofty, which has a reddish wood that is 
used for cabinetmaking, as are also the woods of nearly all the other 
species; M. lowtii, or the Maroochie nut of Queensland, the tree of 
which grows 15 to 20 feet high, forms 6 to 20 woody stems from a 
hard, spreading rhizome, and bears pointed, ribbed, edible fruit about 
1 inch in diameter. The nuts of the three last-named species are said 
to have little food value. 
METHODS OF PROPAGATION 
Heretofore the Macadamia tree has been propagated entirely by 
seed. Occasional trees of unusually fine habits have been produced, 
and attempts have been made to establish and standardize varieties 
of them. Planting selected seed and giving the resulting seedling 
good culture can not be relied upon to accomplish this. The extent 
of the natural variation of seedling fruit and nut trees is well known, 
and the Macadamia has proved to be no exception to the rule. It 
is necessary to use vegetative methods of propagation, that is, root 
cuttings or grafts, if the grower would be assured that his trees will 
be prolific and the product of uniform good quality. For several 
years the station has been conducting experiments in vegetatively 
propagating the Macadamia and has successfully worked out a com- 
paratively easy method of grafting that will eventually materially 
aid the Macadamia industry in Hawaii. 
SEED 
Propagating the Macadamia from seed is not difficult. Different 
methods of germinating the seed are employed. The seeds may be 
planted in the soil where the trees are to remain, but when this 
method is practiced the seedlings show variation in vigor and there 
is difficulty in selecting the most promising kinds. Some growers 
germinate the seeds in nursery rows and when the seedlings are of 
the proper size select, dig, and transplant them into their permanent 
places in the orchard. Because of the unsatisfactory soil conditions 
at the station and for the sake of convenience in delivering the 
seedlings to cooperative experimenters, the station has practiced the 
method of germinating the seeds in propagating beds of ordinary 
coral (beach) sand. The sand is first washed free from salt and 
then placed in a large propagating bench a foot deep, in the open 
sunlight. The selected nuts are planted while they are fresh, im- 
mediately following maturity, 3 to 4 inches below the soil surface, 
and are kept moist. They require from 20 to 30 days to germinate 
and produce active leaves. In another period varying from 30 to 60 
days the resulting seedlings may be transplanted to gallon tin con- 
tainers, or to 8-inch pots filled with mediumly rich, preferably 
sterilized, soil. They may be kept growing thus for a year from the 
date of planting the seed without becoming seriously pot-bound. 
The roots usually develop sufficiently in three to five months to per- 
mit transplanting the seedlings to the orchard. Seedlings which are 
grown to supply rootstock material for grafting experiments may 
be utilized at any time that their size and the nature of their wood 
is suitable for making the unions. 
