Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1873-02-24
VALUABLE TREE.

A VALUABLE TREE.
The San Francisco Alta has recently
been bringing into prominent notice
the malva tree, familiar to most Of our
readers, as something Of far more value
than It has generally been supposed to
be. From our knowledge Of the malva,
either as a plant, shrub or tree, We can
readily indorse pretty much all that
the Alta says regarding 1t. At Vir-
ginia, in some places about Gold Hill,
at Carson and elsewhere, 1t thrives
we'll, and no doubt would anywhere
in this State just IS well as In Califor-
MIA, although to grew luxuriantly 1t
would require . little irrigation dur
Ing the dryest months Of Summer
and Fall. 1t Is among the earliest
to put forth Its leaves In Spring
and the last to shed In the Fall, being
almost an evergreen. and Is among
the prettiest Of shrubbery to have
about the house. The leaves andtwigs
are q fayorite and nutritious food for
cattle, sheep and other animals, the
flowers with which It Is constantly
adorned are eagerly sought for BY
bees, the wood contains a tough fibre
superior to manila for the same uses
to which that Is put, the leaves bruised
and stepped In cold water are found to
be beneficial to people III Of fevers and
Summer complaints, silk worms thrive
upon them when the mulberry falls,
and as fast rs these leaves are eaten
of by cattle, they are reproduced.
Under any sort Of favorable condi-
tions the malva grows thriitily and In
eight years has attained the hight OF
thirty feet, which Is about its maxi
mum for term Of existence and size.
It grows readily from seed. which can
be procured plentifully In California
and elsewhere. We would like to see
the cultivation Of the MAYA tried as
an experiment here in Nevada. 1t
could not be a costly n and could
hardly fail Of being a gratifying and
profitable success. We append the
Atlas experience In the matter:
Some sixteen years ago we were
led to plant q row of the seed around
a ten-acre lot, for the purpose Of break
ing the force of the wind, knowing that
ie was a rapid grower. In two years
the trees had attained the average
height Of fifteen feet and grew very
l%uxuriantly. At that time we bought
two COW which we turned loose In the
lot to feed upon the clover. They left
the clover and ate only the large juicy
leaves Of the malva. At the end Of
each Leaf, where 1t joined the branch,
Law q tiny leaf folded In, and as soon as
the other was nipped of the new n
took Its place, leaving still others be-
hind that. Thus a perpetual supply
was left. The cows could not reach
above seven feet, and we used to cut
down many Of the upper branches for
them. After the first year, cattle can
be allowed to feed upon the young
trees with impunity. The trees which
surrounded that acre-lot fed those two
COWS Summer and Winter for eight
wears. In tho meantime, we tried the
experiment of feeding It to pigs and
goats and sheep. all relishing 1t alike.
All this while the branches were hung
with the crimson, b~ell-shaPed flowers,
and literally swarmed with the bees oil
q near neighbor, who told US that the
hives were running YER with honey.
Chickens eat the seeds with avldity
which fall TO the ground. About the
Winter Of the eighth year after plant
ing the seed, most Of the old trees were
of IN average diameter OF eighteen
inches in the body and about twenty
feet in height, Of solid wood. Beyond
that height the branches were green
and tender. During the Winter Of the
ninth year many Of the old trees blew
down and lay there untouched TIL
Spring. One day, happening to need
some firewood, we took an ak AND
tried to cut one, but found to our sur
prise that the AZ merely crushed. but
did not cut It. On locking, we found
that the whole tree stump was one
mass Of fibre, fine and strong. It was
long-r than any other now known, and
could be peeled OF the tree In layers,
one after another, as delicate and fine
as lace. We then took n portion OF II
and pounded it, and 1t broke up as fine
as tow. We then compared the broken
fibre with manila, and found this TO b
stronger, more. pliable, besides being
more than twice as long. Wethen made
rope Of II. and found 1t In those respect!
better than manila rope, being smooth
or and more pliahle.