78 Mr Maciiab on a suspended Plant of Ficus Australis 
set forth roots is no uncommon circumstance with many of the 
tropical figs ; the banyan-tree (Ficus indica), is very remark- 
able in this respect, in its native country, and some of them in 
our stoves shew the same disposition. As soon as the root had 
extended downwards about eight inches, I placed a pot of earth, 
5, (Plate V.) under it, and it soon took hold of the earth and fill- 
ed the pot with fibres, like those belonging to the original root of 
the plant. In this vState I allowed matters to remain for about a 
year, when the root from the stem had increased to nearly half an 
inch in diameter. In the spring of 1814, I cut off the expos- 
ed root close to the stem from whence it had issued, principally 
with the view of observing whether it would put out leaves and 
branches, and thus be converted into the stem of a new plant. 
This conversion of root into stem, can be effected in many 
plants : it failed, however, in the case of the Ficus ; for al- 
though the whole remained perfectly fresh for a considerable 
time, no buds or leaves were ever produced. 
V The original plant soon put out more roots from the stem, 
which is about a foot in height, before any branches set out ; on 
one of the branches, above two feet from the junction with the 
stem, a root was also put out. As soon as this last had grown 
about a foot long, I placed a pot under it, in the same way as I 
had formerly done. As soon as I found the pot filled with 
roots, I determined to try whether this pot, c, if supplied plenti- 
fully with water, would support the whole plant. 
In August 1816, I left off watering the original large pot, «, 
and supplied the other, c, very freely with water. I kept it in 
this state for about eight months, till the earth in the large pot 
was so completely dry, that I was satisfied the plant could re- 
ceive no nourishment from it. The shrub continued quite as 
healthy and vigorous as when supplied with water at the origi- 
nal root. In the spring of 1817, I took off the pot a, in which 
the original roots were, and exposed the roots to the full rays of 
the sun, by gradually shaking off the dry earth from among 
them ; this had no ill effect on the plant, as it still remained 
perfectly healthy ; it how^ever had the effect of making roots be 
put out freely all over the plant, much more so than had hither- 
to been the case. 
