National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-08-08
THE RAIN TREE.
Water Constantly Dripping from Itn
Trunk and Making u Marsh.

Trunk and Making n Marsh.
Sydney Herald
The attention Of tho Hon. ]. b. Abbott,
minister for mines, has boon drawn to a
notice in Land and Water respecting tho
"Rain Troo" which grows in South
America, and, according to this notice. is
80 remarkable that travellers, whom
traversing an arid and dosolato tract Of
country, have boon struck with tho
strange contrast of scoing on one hand a
barren desert, and on tho other rich
and luxurious vegetation. The tree,
this notice statos, grows TO tho height Of
sixty feet, with q diameter of three feet
at its base, and IL possesses tho power of
attracting absorbing, and condensing the
humidity Of the atmosphere SO strongly
that water Is always to bo seen dripping
from its trunk in such quantity as to
convert tho surrounding soil into a vorit-
able marsh. Mr.. Abbott has called for n
report on tho subject from the inspector
OF forests, Mr.. J. Du6, who has written
the following:
"FoREsT CoSsERvANcY BRANCH, DE-
PARTMENT OF MINES, SYDNEY, June 10,
| 1SS4-lSir: In accordance with your in
structions on Mr. Godhards memo,
numbered as per margin, l have the honor
to inform you that have obtained tho
following information respecting tho
habits and uses of the rain tree or
guango, Albizzia saman (P. Won MUELLER,
or Pithecolabium saman of Bentham;
Baron Mueller states in his work on
Extra Tropical Plants published in
1881, that the rain tree or guango IS q
lofty tree, particularly valuable for wet
sahno country, and it extends from Mox-
leo to Brazil aud Peru. 1t attains o height
of seventy feet, trunk six feet in diameter,
tho colossal branches expanding $50 feet,
and it is of quick growth, in outline not
unlike an oak. II forms a magnificent
feature in landscape. 1t thrivos in the dry
salt-pond districts of the West indies, and
likes the vicinity Of the sea. Rain and dow
fall through its leaves, which are shut up at
night, thus allowing grass to grow under
meath. Itthrives best where tho rainfall
huctuates betwoen thirty and sixty inches
year-ono of the best trees In mild
climes for road or shade lines. The wood
is hard and ornamental, but the principal
utility Of the tree lies in its pulpy pods,
which are produced in great abundance,
and constitute very fattening fodder
for all kinds Of pastoral animals, which
cat them with relish Mr.. John Smith,
A. L. s., ex-curator of the royal botanic
gardens, Kew, London, in his Dictionary
OF Economical Plants published in 1882,
states that tho Zamang Is tho Spanish
name Of the tree, and IL is native of
Venezuela He quotes Humboldt's de-
scription Of the tree, which Is as follows
We saw in the evening Mt league
distant an object which appeared in the
horizon like q round hillock covered
with trees. 1t was neithor hill nor O
group of trees close to each othor, but
one single trec-the famous Zamang del
! Guayre, remarkable for the enormous
extent of its branches, which form a
hemisphere head 576 feet In circumfor'
ence, the diameter of tho stem being nin6
, feet near the ground. II belongs
to the mimosa section Of the ordo,
Leguminasn, and is species Of thu
. genus Pithebolium Up. Saman).' Seed
a taken from the tree were raised in tn,
r botanic gardens, Trinidad, in 1920.
I appears to DO fast growing whom young
q tree forty years old measuring tifteer
feet in circumference near the ground
1t has thick, flattish, curved pods, abou
eight inches In length and one inch il
: width, containing swedish pulp. The.
are in common uso for feeding cattle, aut
0 for that purpose tho tree is now Guilt
/, waited in different countries. 1t is ais
l known as tho rain tree. / may furthe
|
seeding plants of the rain tree were re
! ceivcd in the Sydney botanic garden
0 from the botanic gardens, Ceylon, on re
Q ceipt of which they were placed in bus
q house, where they grew we'll during tn
' summer months; but tho whole of tn
I plants persisted in the winter. whicl
would indicate that the climate of Sydney
Q is not sufficiently warm for the cultiva
+ ton of this tree. The rain tree ovidentl.
u requires n moist climate near the sea
! and it might succeed in some o
i tho northern coast districts, but it /
$ worry doubtful if it would grow in tn
y interior, or in tho districts subject I
. drouyhts and frosts, the latter being tn
!, localities where such tree would be mos
Il required for shade and stock feed. Tn
!, statements made by travellers in Sout
America. in Land and Water, nttache
- hereto. that water is constantly dripping
n from tho trunk of the tree in such guam
o tity as to convert tho sail into n voritabl
;, marsh is. think, exaggerated, and II
u quired further reliable confirmation
{ Should steps be taken to ascertain if tn
h rain tree can be procured in the colonie
l. and if SO, to procure plants and test II
y suitability for various districts in Ne'
IL South WalesP ! have. &C., John Duff.
y Mr.. Abbott has directed that steps
c taken to procure some Of the trees, with
| ~ ,,t int,