The weekly union record., 1864-02-27
The UNIUN RECORD.
THE FOREST.

teen feet in diameter, and the tree
covers an area Of two hundred feet. 1t
blooms but once and dies, when the
capsules containing the seed burst with
loud report.
CARoB TREE-It is round headed
evergreen, with leaves placed and form
ed like the locust, but thick and glossy.
1t bears pod, which is eaten by cattle,
and is used largely for government
horses in Malta. In Sicily, spirit is
distilled from it. 1t grows wild in Italy,
and is said to be the same which fur
nished food to John the Baptist. The
fruit is largely exported to Russia,
where, it is much esteemed as an oc-
casional article of diet, and for the
beverage brewed from it; it is an ad-
mirable shade tree.
BREAD FRUIT TREE.-This tree is
found on the Islands of the Pacific
Ocean, the trunk rises to the hight of
thirty or forty feet, and attains the size
of a mans body. The fruit grows
about the size of child's hand. When
used for food it is gathered before it is
fully ripe, and baked among ashes, when
it becomes a wholesome bread, and in
taste somewhat resembles fresh wheat
bread. This is very useful tree to
the natives, for, besides its fruit, which
supplies them with food, its trunk fur
nishes timber for their houses and can
oes, the gum which exudes from it
serves as pitch for the vessels, and from
the fbers of the inner bark cloth is
made to cover their persons.
Cork TREE.-Are found in the woods
of Sciana, Italy, the outer bark, unfit
for bungs and shoppers, is used chiefly
for fishing tackle, the inner, equally
valuable with common oak bark, is used
in tanneries.
PIsrAcHIo TREE.-Springs up in
rich soils,in the region of Mount Etna,
it grows from twenty-four to thirty
feet high, with heavy twisting branches,
covered with thick grayish bark. The
leaves are large and oblong. The fruit
is thin shelled, oval, tapering nut,
about the size of an olive. The nuts are
produced in lunches, and are commonly
in preofusion, grated at six years old,
it comes into bearing at twelve, and
produces a fair crop about once in three
years, until very advanced age. A
male scion, grated upon one female in
nm orchard,is sufficient to fecundate the
whole. According to Pliny, pistachio
: nuts were first brought to Rome about
the reign of Tiberius, and probably the
tree was introduced into Italy at the
same period.
CHILLEMoHA TREE.-Is native of
South America, and is said to be the
most delicate favored fruit in the world,
and at the same time very healthy.
> The STRYcHNINE TREE. In Ceylon.
{ and several districts of India, grows a
moderate sized tree, With thick, shining
] leaves, and short crooked stem. In
the fruit season it is readily recognized
by its rich orange colorcd berries, about
: as large as golden pippins. The rind
: is smooth, and covers white smooth
pulp, the favorite food of many kinds
of birds, within which are the fiat
7 round seeds, not an inch in diameter,
b ash grey in color, and covered with
silky hairs. The tree is the Strychnine.
a nur romica, and the fruit is the deadly
{ poison nut. The latter was early used
:, as medicine by the Hindoos, and its
. nature and properties understood by
b oriental doctors long before it was
9 known to foreign nations. Dog killer"
! and " fish-scale' are two of its Arabic
1 names. 1t is stated that at present the
Ii natives of HindoStan often take it for
= many months continuously, in much the
y same manner as opium eaters cat opium.
!, They commence with taking the eighth
|, of nut day, and gradually increase
\ their allowance 70 an entire nut, which
! would be about twenty grains. If they
7 eat directly before or after food, no un-
|, pleasant effects are produced, but if they
|, neglect this precaution spasms result.
n RHUs SUCCEDANEA.-(wax plant
{ An evergreen tree, ten feet high, ma
| tive of Japan, the seeds yield an oil,
!, by expression,of the consistence of suet,
5 it is used in Japan for making candles.
$ Its sap is resinous, and might be used
+ for making varnish.
: FoosDUCK.-(Pritacia vera) This
/ tree is common in the valley of Jericho.
/ and elsewhere in Syria. 1t also abounds
|, in Sicily, where it is cultivated for its
/, nuts. The flowers come forth in clus-
|, tiers, and of herbaceous color, in April
/ and May.
SENAwBER, OR S.;owBER Tree
( This also is pistacia, but is ranked
by Arab writers among the pine or tur-
pentine trees. Its nuts are shaped like
the filbert, long and pointed, the kernel
being pale, greenish, sweet. and more
oily than that of the almond. 1t grows
in Syria, Arabia, Persia, and the island
of CypruS. The CVpruS turncntine Is