The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-12-04
WOODMAN SPARE THE TREES.

The carnivorous plant occupies a
good deal of interest among the SCI
entifc of late years, and among the
many curious facts to be known
about trees is one that few probably
are aware of. One of these is that
some trees collect bones. It is on
record that a Captain Maclear, who
was in command of the Alert, having
heard of tree that picked bones up,
inquired from the resident magis
trate of Thursday Island if he would
give him some information about the
tree. Mr.. Chester, the magistrate,
answered as follows: "The tree
grows at Marbiac, not far from Pear
sons Station. It is a kind of ban
yam, or fig tree, and sends down long
vines, or tendrils (roots), from its
upper branches. These run along
the ground, and Irvine around any
small obstacles in their path, such as
bones and other unconsidered trifes.
The vines afterward contract, and
draw up whatever is attached to
them"
Much speculation has been in
dulged in, at various times, as to the
length of time during which trees of
particular kinds may live; but any
thing like an absolutely accurate
estimate is obviously impossible.
Approximation to exact knowledge
is all that can be obtained. The
cedar has been known to live 1000
years; the cypress, 800; the elm, 300;
the ivy, 1856; the larch, 576; the lime,
LOO; the maybe, SIG; the oak, 1900;
the olive, 800; the orange, $50; the
oriental, 1000; the spruce, 1000; the
walnut, 900, and the yew, 1920.
Many instances may, of course, be
given of presumably greater ages,
but not, we think, upon any reliable
evidence. The existing cedars of
Lebanon, for instance, are supposed
to be contemporaries of those cut
down by Solomon for the building
of the Temple. This theory, how
ever, is not, and cannot be, put for
ward on absolutely tenable grounds.
But whatever facts may be proved,
or, rather, however forcible reasons
for the suggested age of tree may
be in particular case, it may be
regarded only as an exception to a
rule. The figures indicated will, at
least, furnish an idea of the compa-
rative longevity of different trees.
Some people have a mania for cut
ting trees and pruning them into all
kinds of hideous shapes, as we'll as
cutting off large branches close to
the trunk, an act which much dis
figures the tree, and should never be
done without absolute need. It is
an oldfashioned fallacy, built upon
scientific ignorance, which condemns
the proximity of trees to dwellings
as unwholesome. AS a matter of
clear fact, they promote the health
OF all that surrounds them.
The combination of carbon and
oxygen, known as carbonic acid gas,
respired by animal lungs, deleter-
lous as it is to animal life, rejoices
the trees, for they breathe in this
gas, assimilate the carbon. of the
compound to build up their sub
stance, and give back to the air the
health giving oxygen.
Before uprooting trees, it may be
well to bear the above fact in mind,
and also, as regards pruning, to re-
member that large limbs cut close to
the trunk often result in killing the
tree. Opinions differ as to the ad-
visibility of cutting off live branches,
but with large healthy trees much
Topping off of heavy branches is con-
sidered injurious Elk.