The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1891-11-06
SOME WONDERFUL TREES
INTERESTIN NC TALK ABOUT
PECULIAR SPECIMENS.
A Tree taat lives to lie Thousands OF
Yeas OLA Ptfm Furnishes
EOoI, Drink. CO hing and
Com Tor able Homes

lnd when IL comes to longevity. ami
nal Life makes a very poor compare
tive showing. II we were inclined to
travel far enough we might sit under
the shade OF trees that spread their
branches when little Moses slept in
his wicker basket among the bull
rushes OF the Nile. The gigantic
trees of California are very old. says
the Philadelphia Times; but they are
infants compared with some of the
wonderful tire 3 OF the world
There is al African tree called the
baobab. which lives to be thousands
Of years cd Humboldt called it the
oldest organic monument on our plan
ct One specimen Of it that was
carefully examined by An English bot
anist proved 70 DE 5. 100 years Old.
At least that was the result OF the us
uaI tests for determining the lives OF
trees This particular tree was thirty
feet in diameter and the spread of its
branches was enormous
Another wonder OF longevity is the
so-called dragons blood tree OF Tere-
rifle Resin Obtained from tins tree
has been found in sepulchres, where
it had been used for emba ming the
dead. Trees os this spec.cs ere now
standing which are estimated as being
older than the Egypt an pyramids.
One Ct the strangest OF trees IS the
Tia palm. found aouadantly on the
banks of the Amazon aud other South
American rivers. In the swamov
regions which. cover immense areas.
the Ita palm furnishes fool drink
clothing and comfortable homes for
the natives.
The Indians that inhabit th-se
swampy districts make n toicrable
wine from the sap OF the palm. and
they distill a stronger stimulant by
crushing and fermcntinE the young
fruits, Tho food Is derived from the
soft inner bark of the stems and is a
substance that in taste and appear
ance. closely rese nbles sage. The
soft and fbrous bark is used for gar
mcnts and for making strings ropes.
hammOcks and the ike. In times OF
high water, often lasting two o. three
months the natives make fOorings liz
the trees ". In the bark ropes and live
there IN comfort and cOnteatment
The tree or most varied usefulness
is probably what i commonly called
the American aloe. II can hardly be
gnificd by the name of tree. and
might more properly be called a plant.
II grows in South America and i
found all the way from the plains to
elevations ten thousand feet ABOVE the
sea II furnishes thread for sewing
and ropes from which catlcs are
made strong enough To suspend n bridge
more than = hundred feet long. Hum
bOldt mentions one bridge 80 feet
long. swung from cables four inches
in diameter. that were made from this
palm bark
PAPER and clothing arc also made
from the bark and the leaves are
used for cleansing. securing and the
manufacture of razor strops. b.
cooperating the water from the thin
sap soap is obtained. .'aS dete-gc -
CASTLE. and will mix and form a lather
with salt water as well as with fresh, -
as n reputable authority tells us.
The sap also contains sugar. and
this i used largely in the n anuiact-
ure of liquor. II Is said that a very
intoxicating brandy is another pro
duet OF the sap and a5 the natives
seem to have rather intermittent
attacks OF sobriety the statement i
probably correct
The bread fruit tree fourishcs in
many OF the islands of the south
Pacific ocean and also in some OF the
Islands OF the Fast Indies 1t i a
mpara.ively large tree. averaging.
perhaps one foot in diameter. The
fruit is as large a 4 child's head. 1t
is covered with thin skin AMI has a
relatively small core II is snowy
white and about the consistency OF
newly baked bread. IN order to pre-
pare il for food il is cut into large
slices and roasted. 1t Is said to be
easily digested and very nutritious
and it certainly forms staple article
OF food for thousands OF people.
Another wonder OF this kind 3 the
COW tree of SO.lth. America which is
credited with Yielding "a lactea' fund
which in color taste and nrtrit.ve
property closely resembles the offer
iugs OF your milk man 1t forms large
forests in some districts of Venezuela,
and is much prizd3 for its product
The tailnw tree Of China Is so called
from the fact thar it produces a sub
s;an'e resembling tallow. and which
is used for similar purposes The
fruit is enclosed within a pod 4
WHITE pulp Is .fOInd within. and this
substance the Chinese use in making
candies mixing a little oil with it TO
make it softer and more 2liable.
The paper tree OF the South Seas is
a species OF the mulberry. Its inner
bark is so delicate that n soft and
pleasant-feeling cloth i made from IT,
which the n6 ives use in making their
best suits 1t ia also used IN the
manufacture OF very fine grade OF
paper.
The fiction about the deadly Upas
tree of Java. which was published in
Holland liJtle more than hundred
years ago. and which was belieTe for
many years has only this substantial