Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-12-31
The UpaS Tree.

famous J.7anese tree is the notorious
upas. or ohettik, which was long rumored to
kill every body, who went under its shade. A
Dutch surgeon, who is understood to have lived
toward the close Of the last century, is usually
credited with b9iOg the original inventor of the
spocryphat history cf this dsagreeablo gesota-
bic. The tree was described as growing in
desert track with no other plant oear it for q
distance of ten or twelve miles. Criminals cou.
demned to die got the option of either suffer.
los the eXr,mity of the law Or going to tbs
uDas tree and collecin some of the poison
But not more than two out of every twenty sur.
V!ycd their DANGEROUS expedition.
The "surssoo" claimed to have derived bis
knowledge from those who had been lucky
en@osh to e-cape with life over desert strewu
With the Rhitened bones of their less fortunate
predecessors. There are no fsb in the waters.
nor has any rat, mouse, or any other vermin
lem seen there; and when any birds fg 90
near this tree that the fhlvia reaches thom,
they fell victim to the effects of the poison"
Out Of q population Of sixteen hundred persons
VINO wele compelled, on account of civil dssou-
tioas, to reside within few mics of this tree,
oby three hu1dred remained in less than two
month. 1t is, however, unnecessary to quote
the Dutch surgeon" further, for it is under.
stood that "Dr. Foersch" is literary myth.
The account first appeared in the London
Magazine, but no man, 80 far as | am aware,
has been able to disc the original of the tale,
and II is generally understood that the whole
was the work of George Stevens. au unscrupu-
lou5 an,lqrsry, who was never happier than
when eDtrapping his contemporaries 10 tho
rNnI Ih.a-o IL
story was too attractive not to seiz, tho imagi
nation. Erasmus Darwin emtalned it in his
stately verses, pee of loss scientific type fol.
lowed bis exaupl ;, WhIlo painters iunu nersbIe
We'd With eaoh her in picturing the scene of
50 much desoa,iou. 10 reality the tree is a
sDurge, Aattaris toxscaria,) wh'o7, when
pierced, exudes milky iuloe, containing, as is
usually the case With such paots. ao acrid
poison.
But. Sc far from boiug as pest!leut as de-
scs!hel, the tree has been cultivated in our
botanic gardens, aud is known to grow 10 the
Java woods along with other vegetation, which
it docs not iujurs. aud on its branches birds and
llzAids heVe often been seen 10 perch. 1t is.
however, fair to say that the soil on which it
grows is often csvernous, aud 10 The valley of
donth' exhRies carbonic acid and sulpherous
sapors, which are fatal to animal life. and that
from the same causcs operating 10 tho streams
msuy Of the latter are destitute of fishes.
The juice is used as an arrow 20 son, and
often causes dssgreeatle irritation, or worse,
20 those Vh , climb the tree, or wear garment
made OF The icner bark. This irritating char.
actcr is, hovover, coGmon to the juice Of tho
order 70 Whioh the upss belongs The tree is
Dol confined to J.vs, FIR traveller describes it
as Furnishing in valley uoar the town of
B:uti, in Bofueo, surr uaded by hilIs covered
With dense vegetation. 1t is. however. curious,
as proving that the aucicut tales about it are
bsaed on soms found s:iou of fuc.. that the na.
lives ara afraid to 20 uuder its shade, and de-
clare that birds who alight 90 its branchoa off.
CD fail of dead.-Ihe Countries of the World