Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-11-11
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
THE VEGETABLE WORLD.

An English book, with this title, by Charlie.
Williams, has been re-publisbed at Boston. 1,
contains great many curious observations oil
Natural History. new aud old. We make some
pleasant extracts:
| The Brazilian Bamboo" Among the trees
wa;-h attracted our attention." says Dr. Walsh,
in ais travels in Brazil, " we're the different sps.
cies Of bamboo some Of which we're Of enormous
| size. aud some Of singular beauty. OF the first
kind were many that measured two feet in cir.
eumfereuse, sending out large lateral branches,
and 50 ts'i as to resemble forest tress. Others,
| Of equal magnitude, without any branches, shot
gu, single stem, divided into regular joints,
smooth and tapering to point, till they attained
an immense height
Some we're not so thick but ran up till they be i.
came so slender that they bent down, gradually
tapering to a very fine point, as thin az horse
hair, aod waving across the road like long fish.
ing rods. cut one Of them, which had shot up
from the valley below, about the middle, where
it was not quite SO thick as my wrist After
carrying it some time in my hand, where It fcit
lighter than cart whip laid il along the road,
and measured its length, and found il fifteen yards
long, that the entire plant must have been nine.
ty feet, taperlng and polished the whole way with
the most exquisite finish" Another kind was so
prolific that it covered the whole surface Of the TO-
rest, climbing to the tops Of the highest trees,
and clothing them with the most exquisite yer.
dure. Sometimes it ran from tree to tree, CO.
verng the whole slopng surface Of glen with
level uniform curtain Of the richest drapery.-
This vegetable surface is called the grass OF the
thicket' 1t yields the cattle supply Of green
and wholesome fodder at all seasons.
Hir pfODfs -'Nhoaa attach he
driest and most sapess surface, aud flower as il
issuing from the richest soils.
"a specimen Of one Of these, which thought
curious" says Dr.. Walsh. "I threw into my
RS5a%aa ter; HhaTf sosTe6, fas as
tonished to End rich scarlet flower in full blow;
it had not only lived, but vegetated and blossom
ed, though so long secluded from air, light and
humidity" The barren pine is not less extra.
ordinary. 1t also grows on sapless trees, and
never on the ground. Its seeds are turn.shed,
on the crown, with long hlmy fibre, like the
thread Of gossamer. As they ripen they are de-
tached, and driven with the wind having the long
thread streaming behind them. when taey
meet with the obstruction Of a withered branch,
the thread is caught, and revolving round, the
seed at length comes into fixed contact WIN ,ne
| surface, where It soon vegetables, and supplies
the naked arm with new foliage. In Brazil
it grows like the common plant Of a pine apple,
and shoots from its centre long spike OF bright
scarlet blossoms. In some species, the leaves
are protuberant below, and form vessels like
pitchers, which catch and retain the rain water,
ia nshing cool and refreshing draushts to the
heated traveller, in heights where no water Is to
be found. The quantity Of this Huid is some
times very considerable, and those who nave
ATTEMPTED to reach the hower.stem have been o..
ten drenched by upsetting the plant.