The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1884-11-22

the strange contrast Of seeing on ona
hand 4 barren desert and on the other |
rich and luxurious vegetation. The
free this notice states, grows to the
HEIGHT Of sixty feet, with o diameter OF
three feet at its base. and it possesses
the mower of attracting, absorbing and
condensinc the humidity of the atmos-
phere so strongly that water is always
10 be seen, dripping from its trunk IN
such quantity as to convert the SUI
rounding soil into vegetable marsh.
Mr.. Abbott has called for report on
the subject from the Inspector OF FOR
ests, MI. j. Duff, who has written the
| following;
/ ssFoREsr CONSERVATORY BRANCH DEPART.
MENT OF MINES. SYDNEY, June ~, loot-S ~.
/ In accordance with your instructions on a.! Nj
i have the honor to inform you that nave Oh
tanned the following information respecting
the habltats and uses Of the ram Tree OF Bi,he
1 eoiabillm eaman Of Bentham; Baron mueller
states IN hls work on Extra Tropical Plants,
published in 1881 that the ram Tree vI Tor
20 is lofty tree, particularly valuable s t do'
1 Syetyaaline country, and 1t extends froLl MeN
leo to Brazil and Peru. 1t attains helgns. o.
seventy feet, trunk six feet In diameter wy
colossal branches extendig one hunarea , mnu
thirty feet and it is Of quick growth, ~ ou.ln
not unlike an oak. 1t forms y, I'M d.v
ssnerrS n S,stricts 81 the West Indies, and
| likes the vicinity Of the sea. Rain ana oc y.
fall through its leaves, when are sng' u M
| night, thus allowing grass to grow un y VT,
Meath IL thrives best wissre the rain-Ihil
| fiuctuates between thirty and sixty incness 3.
| vear--one of the best trees in mid CHIMES Loi
! yyosd or shade lines The wood is hard and or
namental, but the principal utility OF .ne SFs =
4 lies in its PUPPY pods, which are proauceus 81 y
, tenning fodder for all kinds Of pastoral am
{ mails which cat them with relish. ,Mr. JONI 51
smith A. L. s. Ex.C Curator OF ,n h,s no ',iotio1
T airy OF Economical Plants, pupnsneu IN zoe s
! states that the zamang is the Spanish nam I
the and y Y nssse 20 If tie tree
!, which ia as follows: We saw N tne snon l ~
!, at a league distant an object which appeare
. | ia the horizon like round niiock Govern
u with trees, It was neither hill nor q grou
y | Of trees close to each other, but one sihg,
!. tree-the famous zamang-del Iuayiot I,
- | markable for the enormous e1tehs ol y
is branches which form hemisphere neau ~ ~
4 hundred and seventy ,six feet IN clreuIh y y
ence, the diameter Of the stem pen ~ Il' ios
| eeotion oil the order of Leguminasse, ana Is
:. species Of the genus Pithebolium o. SaInhn
~ Seeds taken from the tree were raised
III Inc botanic gardens Trinidad, in 1870. 1t a
- pears to be fast growing when young VI,
y forty years old measuring fifteen feet ~ q
" cumference near the ground II mas tnlc
4. | haitian curved pods, about eight inches
"a length and one inch IN wluth, conVaiiihs
sweetish pulp They are IN common + hse n
1 -
IN Is now cultivate In different countries; ~
- also known as the rain tree. may I ursn
eL add that few years ago number OF seeul
iei plants of the rain tree were received ~
NJ sydney Botanic Gardens from the botal
Y Gardens, zion, on receipt of which they we
lG | placed In q bush-h0use. where they grew, "
a during the summer months; but the Whole
= the pinnts persisted in the winter, wni
~ | would Indicate that the climate OF nydney
e) not HufIIciently warm for the cultivation
ha this tree The rain tree evidently requires
n | moist climate near the sea- and 1t rlght y
al- coed IN some of the northern coast dlstrlc
ms mt II Is doubtful IL 1t would grow in the III
n | rior, ar ia the districts subject 70 drougl
~ and frosts the latter being the localities wht
he such tree would be most required Tor shs
ck | ana stock feed. The statements maze
~ travellers In South America in Land ana y
VA fsr attached hereto, that water is eonstan
ht- dripping from the trunk OF the tree IN 81
m | ouantity as to convert the soil INTO We
~ able marsh is, think exaggerated, ana
I'M ouires further reliable confirmation. Sho
nj \ steDs be taken to ascertain If the rain I
~, can be procured in the colonies, ana II 80,
no procure plants and test its suitability TOT
use rious districts of New South MalesE l ~
NV etc. JohN ONhN
vas Mr.. Abbott has directed that steps
or taken to procure some OF the trees "
vaS view to their introduction into
NJ colony.--S Sydney Herald.