The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-10-03

leaves have the ribs and veinings only. and
appear but as the skeletons. The tissue us
ually found in the interstices is quite absent.
1t is an AQUATIC plant, and looks exceeding
~ delicate and graceful as it floats on the sur
face of the water.
The Sensitive plant (MinOsa Pudica) pos
sesses the curious property of shrinking, and
the leaves fold up at the slightest touch.
Even the breath strongly directed on 10 it
has the same effect. At night the leaflets
close together, as also do the partial leaves
and the common footstalk bends toward the
chief stem, remaining thus until dawn recalls
them all to their former position.
OF the curiOsities of the vegetable world
the Cactus tribe are among the most striking.
We give two sketches illus trating the wide
divergence of various varieties. The first,
called by the spanish Visnaga, a toothpick,
the spines of which are arranged in clusters
on the ribs of the plant, being utilized for
that purpose. They are also used as pins, to
fasten the poncho, or cloak. The other
specimen is one of many that grows to con-
siderable height.
OF the Fungus tribe we illustrate one vari-
ETY., the "puff ball " 1t throws out its seed
in a fine powder, and this the wind carries
and distributes for miles, impregnating the
earth with myriads of similar fungi.
OF large trees, one of the most useful is the
Bamboo. 1t grows in the East Indies,
China, Japan, and other warm eli
mates. Some species grow with great
rapidity. Ten feet in q fortnight has
been noticed to be reached by one plant
Some bamboos reach the height of one hun
dred feet. Old stalks grow to five and six
inches in diameter and are used for water
pipes, bottles, circular boxes poles for scat
folding and building purposes, walking sticks
and musical instruments. The wood is split
and woven into cloths for sails, mats and
cordage, and the pith produces bread, arch
and paper. The bamboo is thus almost in
valuable to tine natives OF the tropics.
The Bottle tree is a native OF Australia. IL
has the curious popularity of the trunk
swelling, from a short distance from the
ground, until it assumes a glObutar shape.
The Dragons Blood is considered to be one
of the lOngest-ived of trees 1t is native
of the island of Teneriffe. The finest speci-
men known is the giant tree of Oratava, and
is said to have been seen in the
year 400 when it was as large as
il is now This tree is named from its pro-
duct-the astringent resin known as dragons
blood, substance formerly used in medi-
cine, but now chiefly known as a red var
nish.
The East Indias are remarkable for strange
growths in trees. We could fill pages with
extraordinary varieties. The Banyan tree
throws out branches which, defending in line
10 the ground, take root, and in turn become
auxiliary stems. Thus, in course of time, one
tree Will cover an enormous space. A speci-
men growing on the banks of the Nerbudda,
although it has suffered badly from floods,
which have washed large portions away, still
measures two tho usand feet in circumference.
10 las three hundred and twenty main
trunks, while the smaller stems exceed three
thousand in number. 1t is reputed on good
authority to have on one occasion sheltered
seven thousand persons.