GROWING ACORNS OVER WATER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2131, 6 March 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

GROWING ACORNS OVER WATER.

To grow a miuatnre oak in ,1 bottle, all thnt is rcqn'bite is to pas>, n thread thioiiirh the bise of a ripe acorn, so that it may hang point downwards ; fasten the two ends round the neck of a gum bottle, so that the acoin hangs with the point :iboii f tV C 2 ltre. T it-n pour water into the bottle until it touches the acorn ; cover the mo'ith of tho bottle with a lid of card to prevent dust entering, nnd place the whole in a room out of the reach of frost in winter. In a few days or weeks, depeudent on the temperature, the point will open, nnd thelonuf white radicle descend into tho water, after which the tiny stem will hhoot forth, nnd tho minature free will grow up into the air, bearing loaves and inr-rea-ing in .si/o for two or thieo years, constituting iv very pretty and lutoicbting mantel ornament. Any bottle, anffieionfly large in the mouth to admit an acorn mly be used ; but an empty gun bottle of a conie.il shnpe is smrsrested, as it is not readily overset. When the oaks :iro grow n they may be planted our, and will take root in the .soil without difficulty. The plan is particularly interesting and instructive to children, and wo have seen a row of nc >ms on :i .school- room .shelf, each labelled with the name of the child to whom it belonged.