St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-06-07
The Valley of the L4masOn.

| 1He tQttSy or the -1mUSOn.
A Boston correspondent of the Spring
field Republican thus quotes from one O
the lectures of Prof Agassiz before tn,
Lowell Institute
Sin little boat followed from The
trunk of tree, in warm, moist, agree
able atmosphere, - the professor rowet
US under arcades of luxuriant tropica
foliage, gorgeous with tropical flowers and
birds, with tangled vines and parasite:
and soaring palms and delectable fruits
1t was kind of primeval Venice, the
forest SO crowded and interlaced with
growth as to be impenetrable to mortal
footsteps, the lands so traversed by vine:
as to make the building Of highways an
lmposslbility. We take natures high
way and sail over the river SO studded
with islands, across the lagoon so over
spread with aquatic plants that we know
not where land begins and water ends /;
miles of the Victoria Regia rearing its
white urns, while cranes and herons stalk
over the leaves rs if they were on land.
The bed of the Amazon slopes toward
the ocean in SO gradual a descent that
the river strays into a network of innu-
merable channels, which often intersect
each other at right angles. and form an
astonishing number of islands. 80 broad
is the river, that in distance of 1900
miles above the ocean, one cannot see
across from shore to shore
The excess of hot and dry season
which usually prevails in the tropics,
gives place, in the valley of the Am
szon, to a climate OF delightful even
ness, a perpetual summer The rain
season moves gradually from North to
South along the valley, SO that it contin-
ually feeds some OF the rivers innumera-
ble tributaries. Tie temperature, re-
strained within a maximum OF 81 de-
grees, and Il minimum OF -. causes con-
slant evaporation. and the consequent
luXurlance of vegetation. of which one
who has not seen it can hardly form 4
conception. One point in which these
tropical forests differ from outs. i the
entire absence OF the trees which form
the striking features OF our northern
woods lhcre are no oaks. pines, naples.
willows, hlchories-none at all. Another
point l.. the hctcrogcncousncss of tn,
vegetation. AT home oaks grow with
oaks, pines with pines but here we sell
dom see tw" trees or two plaEis of one
kind in proximity. There are tall trees
OF strange varieties. and beneath them
not 4 low @rowth of unierbru,h. hut an
absolutely inpenetrahle Ihickct and cur
tam OF ycriure. crowding. climbing.
starred over with parasites. Whose broad,
light green leaves shine AGAINST the dark
foliage like stars. and which cling ami
climb everywhere with their brilliant
flowers
Among the most conspicuous trees is
that which bears the Brazil nut of our
commerce, which grow, 10 enormous
hight and lifts It's cone of green leaves
above the other trees of the wood. An
other lofty tree is allied to the small
plant which we call malluws. His also
rises TO an incredible hight, spreading It's
umbrella of foliage above the forest. The
greatest number OF trees are palms. and
they are more nearly allied 10 graSs than
TO any other species OF our vegetation.
Some varieties OF the palm grow low,
the leaves sprlnglng from The ground, and
forming an elegant vase OF leaves and
fruit The slender trunks OF Others >pIing
to the hight Of hundred feet before
shooting out their broad tans of beautiful
leaves, and there are palm vines which
climb hundreds OF feet over the forest.
cllnglng TO other growths with their Gu
rlous leaves. Prof. AsaSsiz referred To
the infinite variety and numberlcss uses
of the palm, and lis enormous size. and
he exhibited some interesting dried speci-
mems, one being five or SIN times his own
hight as he held it on tue stage, the stem
as straight as lead pencil, and slender
as mans wrist, till the top, where it
was fringed with leaves. The varieties
of palm bear fruits which correspond
with our nuts, apricots, cherries. grapes.
and frequently in such luxuriant clusters.
as it would lie hardly possible for one
man to lift. He showed brush OF wirv
fibrcs, Of weight and size which he
managed with difficulty. This was one
cluster of fruit stems denudcd of their
berries. The palms are of surprising
majesty and beauty. The profcs-
sor had seen two men seated in the
axil of leaf, and the leaves are some
times 80 or 40 feet in length, and from
10 to - in width