The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-04-14

A FRAGMENT OF ANTIoUITY.-Dr. Smith in
his lecture on Illumination had burning on his ta-
BILE, an Egyptian earthen lamp, taken from one Of
the crypts in which mummies were placed, that
seemed ancient enough. 1t must have been made
four thousand years ago. But here is fossil tree
which must have bloomed and blossomed millions
of years since
GA late number of the Westmoreland Iutelli.
gencer contains description Of curious discove-
ry made in excavating for the Pennsylvania rail
road. A fossil tree, of immense mag gntude" has
been laid bare by Richard McGrand, jr, lying
prostrate, about four feet above the Pttsburg
of coal, embedded in solid sandstone thirty feet be-
low the surface. The part which was removed
measured twenty-six feet in length and two feet ten
Inches IN circumference at the base. From the
size OF the two main branches, which enter the
rock on the opposite side, it is inferred that this
tree may have been from forty to fifty feet in length
At the base 1t was much hattened by the pressure
OF the superintendent weight, but the branches
still retain their original cylindrical form.
9 1t was entirely enveoped by coating of pure
and beautifully crystallized bituminous coal meas
urlng from quarter to inch in thickness.
Its interior was filled with sand mixed with the
carbonate and ulphuret Of iron but exhibiting no
appearance OF transverse bands, any other indi-
cation OF vegetable structure. The bark, which
alone remains converted into pure but friabe Goa,
may have surrounded axis of more pershabs
material, which, when the tree removed from
ITS orig inal position by the the waves,
pldly decayed, whilst the trunk and its branches
stl foated in the agltated waters Of the It's
hollow interior would necessarily be filed with
sand, broken shale or other sediment, which was
brought by large rivers into that turbulent sea,
whose bed was rapidly subsding. This view is
corroborated by the fact that the rock in which this
plant is found embedded presents an entirely dii-
ferent appearance in color aud in Theological char
acter from that which fills the interior OF the fossil
tree.
although there were the usual longitudinal flut-
ings peculiar this family OF plants, both along
the main trunk and its branches, yet he could dis
cover but few indications OF those beautiful scars
which mark the spot where the petoles of the
leaves articulated with the stem.
I'm scientific point of vew the discovery OF this
tree is of much interest and importance, for it is
hoped it will set at rest among geologsts the much
vexed and long discussed question whether the ge-
nus to which this plant beongs-a genus which
contributed largely to the formation Of coal-be-
longs to aborescent ferns gigantic palms, or lofty
pines
indebted for the description OF this relic of ages
millions gone,' DR.. Alfred I. King, of Greens
burg, copy the following additional observa
tons:
"' Much the largest number of our coal plant
belong to the lowest division of the vegetable
hmsuoi'i, anu was not uiti d'ter these had ceas
| ed to grow and become extngushed from the sur
face of the earth, that we find in abundance thos
two great divisions Of Towering plants which nov
so much beautlty the parterre, and add grandeur I
mountain and landscape scenery.
"'Such were the plants of the carbonferou
epoch, composed of species which were low in th
scale Of organization. Nor had the animal king
dom, at the period when the coal was deposited
risen any higher than gigantic reptiles, the evi
dence OF whose existence was first discovered II
this country
We shall, perhaps, again refer to this matter
so interesting not only to the geologst, but to al
who seek in the revelations Of science the origin o
the phenomena which minister to our comfort II
daily life"