CHINESE METHOD OF PROPAGATING FRUIT TREES. 
DO 
which the young roots may shoot. Having performed this part of 
the operation, they immediately under the hall, divide the bark down 
to the wood, for nearly two-thirds of the circumference of the branch. 
A cocoa nut shell or small pot is then hung over the ball, with a hole 
in its bottom, so small that water put in it will only fall in drops; by 
this the rope is continually kept moist. During three succeeding 
weeks, nothing further is required, except to supply the vessel with 
water. At the expiration of that period one-third of the remaining 
bark is cut off, and the former incision is carried considerably deeper 
into the wood, as by this time it is expected that some roots have 
struck into the rope, and are giving their assistance in support of the 
branch. After a similar period the operation is repeated, and in 
about two months from the commencement of the process, the roots 
may generally be seen intersecting each other on the surface of the 
ball; which is a sign that they are sufficiently advanced to admit of 
the separation of the branch from the tree. This is best done by 
sawing it off at the incision ; care must be taken that the rope, which 
by this time is nearly rotten, is not shaken off by the motion. The 
branch is then planted as a young tree. It appears probable that to 
succeed with this operation in Europe, a longer period would be ne¬ 
cessary, vegetation being much slower in Europe than in India, where 
I made most of my experiments. I am, however, of opinion, from 
some trials which I have lately made on cherry-trees, that an additi¬ 
onal month would be adequate to make up for the difference of cli¬ 
mate. 
The advantages to be derived from this method are, that a further 
growth of three or four years is sufficient, when the branches are of a 
considerable size, to bring them to their full bearing state, whereas 
even in India eight or ten years are necessary with most kinds of fruit 
trees, if raised from the seed. 
When I was at Prince of Wales’s Island, I had an opportunity of 
seeing this proved by experiment. Some orange trees had be en 
raised by a gentleman, from seed sown in 1786, which had not borne 
fruit in 1795, while branches taken off in the Chinese mode in 1791, 
had produced two plentiful crops. Whether forest trees might be 
propagated in Europe, in the same manner, I have not had sufficient 
experience to determine. 
I have observed that the roots from a branch under the process of 
abscission, were uniformly much longer in shooting into the rope, 
when the tree was in leaf, than the contrary; hence the spring season 
seems most proper for performing this operation. I. T. 
