The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-02-15
large number Of individuals fthe same

large number ofindividuals ofthe same
hlnu occupying exclusively a consid-
cradle tract of land. Not so with the
tropical forests. Plants the most varied.
the most diversified from one another
are mixed together in the most profuse
manner, SO that You rarely see several
stems OF the same tree side by side. bnt
a mixture of the most diversified kind
are crowded together, and form as dense
| forests as our densest. And then be-
tween them there is variety of
smaller plants and of parasites grow
ing upon trees, and of vines climbing
from one tree to another, and it
is difficult sometimes to determine
TO which plant, vine or tree the
flowers or fruit you see belong. The
variety is the more astonishing as at all
seasons there are some of these plants
in flower. Though there are somewhat
marked seasons, yet there is never a
period when the trees are destitute of
leaves. The forests are evergreen, and
only few kinds of trees, at particular
seasons, drop their leaves, bat they are
so few in number that they only create
the impression of a few dead trees in "a
thick growing forest. These forests are
rich in all kinds of natural products,
and 1t is in these products that consists
the wealth OF the continent.
Let me allude to the timber. The
variety Is incredible. / have seen at
Para, at IA public exhibition, n collec-
ton of Brazilian timber, choice ana va
ried, and susceptible OF furnishing ma
Jerial for the most beautiful cabinet
work, of liz different kinds, collected
over a piece of land half a mile square
We have not in the United States one
half of this number of different kinds
of timber worth anything for building
purposes or for manufacturing; yet
there the variety is so great that from a
small area of half a square mile liz diff
ferent kinds could be collected. have
brought home from this short expedi-
ton of ten months survey, in which
the study of plants was only an Access
tory part ofmy examination, specimens
of three hundred different kinds of val
able timber, remarkable for the beauty
of their grain, for their hardness, the
variety of their tints and their durabil-
ity, which if introduced into the COM
merce of the world would change the
art for which wood is supplied. And
that wood is not yet used in any way;
il is allowed TO float down the river and
the only impeachment to navigation that
have perceived at any time was the
quantity of floating timber. So little
have the Inhabitants made use oft that
they have no saw mills, and when they
want timber for any purpose they cut
down tree of sufficient length and
then cut it the size they wish with
hatchet. This waste is practiced in
reference to timber. With reference to
textile fibTes there is an endless Varie-
ty, and we would be sgreatly benefited
as far as regards our shipping alone, if
We would make use of those tissues
which are so peculiarly adapted Tor
making cables, ropes and the like.
There are in particular several kinds of
palm leaves which have n very resist
ant and strong fiber.
The India rubber is obtained from a
traEa fNH Q 1,n ,l,V
lands, and which is a kind of cachone.
We have hardly plant of that family
to compare with it which is at all SINH
lar in aspect. 1t is perhaps more like
Mulberry, and may be compared to il,
though 1t grows taller and does not
spread SO much. y wound is made in
the bark of the tree by cutting it, and
the sap which flows from it is collected
into a number of cups made of the
leaves of trees, and is then poured into a
larger vessel, dried, smoked, and pre-
pared in the way in which you see it in
commerce. Thus far India rubber has
only been collected accidentally; no.
where is it cultivated, and it is one of
the miserieS OF the country that all the
natural productions are still in their
wild condition, and have nowhere re-
ceived the importance which their cul-
ture would necessarily command. The
consequence of this mode of collection
is the extraordinary methods connected
with it. The laborers go into the forest
to collect it, and tap the trees in the
most irregular manner, and when they
collect the sap there are many trees
which they pass unnoticed. In that
way an immense quantity of the ma
terial is wasted. l have been told that
any one who would follow in the ordi-
nary track of these collectors of india
rubber would find as rich a harvest as
those who made the first collection.
l. | have haRn told Inv nna n tho most
intelligent men connected with the trade
of the Amazon, that he was satisfied
that annually about Sl0,0O0,OOO worth
ofthe natural products of the Amazon
remained rotting on the ground from
want of hands to collect them; when,
if there was an industrious population,
all this wealth would be saved; and ii
the population was sufficiently extern
sive to cultivate regularly those valua-
bic productions, you see at once what
mines of wealth would flow into the
commerce OF the world. But the first
requisitei is that there shall be a settled
population, and population living
regularly. the population which now
occupies that valley is indolent, is ir-
regularin its mode of life, and in con-
sequence of that liable to diseases which
are ascriDed to the unhealthy climate.
For what could be expected of IA popu-
lation which goes into the wood with
an indifferent supply of food, and tndt
of poor quality, and will remain in
the wet, will allow themselves to be
rained upon, without taking any pre-
caution for change; but that after
while they would get fever or rheumA-
tism, and all other diseases which care
lessness and poor food bring on, and
which are universally charged to the
climate! The first step toward impro-
wing Brazil should be regular settle
ments-settlements on these neat
banks which rise regularly above the
level of the water, and which are so in
yiting, not only on account of the vHTi-
ty of vegetation, but on account of the
picturesque manner in which the rivers
intersect these infinite forests.