grotmng without Earths 79 
In the latter end of the summer of 1817, I placed a root in a 
pot d, which was put out from a branch about three feet from 
the junction with the stem, and on the opposite side of the plant 
from that which had supported it for some time past. As soon 
as I found this pot filled with fibres, I supplied it freely with 
water, and kept the other pot c dry, as I had done before with 
the original root a. I found the plant still continue equally vi- 
gorous as before. In the spring of 1818, I took away the pot 
c, which I had for some time kept dry, and exposed the roots 
gradually, as I had formerly done with those in the original 
pot. I may observe, that in both cases the plant began to push 
out young shoots and leaves, rather earlier on the branches on 
the opposite side of the tree to that to which the pot was attach- 
ed ; the difference, however, was very inconsiderable. 
The pot d, which now alone supported the plant, was four 
feet from the lower end of the stem, and very near to the extre- 
mity of the branch, the original roots, and the second set of 
roots, both hanging loose in the air. The plant, however, 
remained in this state for nearly a year, in perfect health. In 
May 1819, I took a very small pot, about two inches in diame- 
ter, and filled it with earth as I had done the others, and set 
it on the surface of the earth in the pot d, which now support- 
ed the plant. Into this small pot I introduced a root which came 
from the same branch, a little below the one which was in the 
larger pot. As soon as the small pot e was filled with roots, I 
supplied it freely with water, and gave the larger pot none but 
what might happen to run through the small one. After re- 
maining in this state for near two months, I cut the branch off 
between the two pots ; I still supplied the small pot only with 
water, but occasionally at this time threw a little water over the 
whole plant. It continued to look as well as it had done be- 
fore. In July last, 1819, I examined the small pot and 
found it completely filled with roots, very little earth remaining 
in the pot : by this time the plant appeared to me to be very 
tenacious of life, and I determined to try whether it Avould live 
wholly without earth. I accordingly took the small pot off, and 
gradually worked off what little earth remained among the 
roots. I at this time, however, threw plenty of water over the 
leaves, generally twice in the day ; this was done about the lat- 
