The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-11-07
INDIAN JUCCLERS.
How They Perform ths Trec-Growin:
Trick without Detection.

| jugglers are especially famous-the
'tree-growing trick" and the basket
trick " says the Youths Companion.
As commonly described in travellers
tales. the tree-growing trick might
well seem impos sible OF explanation.
But If the spectator expects TO see a
seed planted in the ground. the leaves
starting up above the soil, the growth
increasing the shrub spreading and
the fruit appearing and ripening di-
rectly under his eyes. he will be griev-
ously disappointed.
The juggler makes a heap OF moist
earth perhaps six or eight inches
high. on the stone step, or the hard
carriage drive in front OF the hotel
where the traveller is staying. The
juggler himself dressed in loin
cloth only. squats on the ground be-
hind the heap. places in it nut usu-
ally that of the mango tree, and
spreads cloth over the whole
After short time. during which he
waves his hand in the air or assumes
him, he snatches away the cloth and
two or three leaves are seen appear
ing above the soil
He spreads his cloth over it once
more. The plant appears to be grow
ing rapidly and pushing the cloth up.
The juggler again snatches tho cloth
away and large and wide-spreading
shrub is seen. its leaves covered with
dew.
Sometimes a tripod frame is used.
over which the cloth Is throwu,
so that the plant may grow" freely
beneath the small tent thus formed
When the leaves are just visible
above the ground the Jugglcr lifts the
plant from the earth and shows the
spectators how the nut has apparently
swollen and germinated. pointing out
the rootlets that extend from the nut
through the moist earth.
II. when it has fully grown there
| Is no fruit on the tree, the juggler
| covers the plant once more with tho
cloth and after another short interval
removes it. Two or three man.ocs
are seen. which the juggler breaks OF
and presents to the spectators.
The best performance of it | have
ever seen was IN Madras and learned
from the jugglers exactly how it was
4 done.
When the juggler apparently places
the new mango nut in the earth he
really places an old split nut there,
which he has held in the palm OF his
hand. The new nut he conceals in
the place previously occupied by the
! old nut; in other words. he palms" il.
After spreading the cloth he drops
the new nut from his pllm into fold
OF his loin cloth, whence he takes and
palms small plant two or three
inches long-sometimes little twig
OF mango, with the root OF another
plant fastened to the end OF it.
This he does while the attention OF
the spectators is given 10 the waving
of his other hand in the air, or To
his gestures upward for the help of u
god.
He then removes the cloth for the
first time. No leaves appear. While
replac n the cloth ha inserts the root
end Of the tw z in the old nut ana ar
ralges the soil SO that the top of the
stem and one or two small leaves ap-
pear above the surface
This done, and the cloth being fully
spread he waves his hands again il
the air, and after short tiEle removes
the Goth for the second time. ana re-
veals the plant in its first stage
,ith
plant with its roots &c, TO the spec
tators. he takes with the other hand
from his loin-c.oth n piece OF branch
cut an inch or more in diameter. which
is well provided with twigs and leaves.
All of these are pressed close to the
branch and tao whole wrapped around
tightly with a piece Of wet cloth. |
have seen this branch as much as
foot and half long.
The juggler conceals this behind his
bare arm, and with n swift motion
slides il under the cloth while he is
apparently replacing the small plant
While spreading the cloth he un-
wraps the branch and sticks it into
the soil, expands the twigs and leaves.
and sqaeeZe5 over them the water from
the wet cloth. Then .palming' and
Withdrawing the small plant he pro-
ceeds rs before with his gesticulations
removes the covering and shows the
spreading shrub.
In the same manner he slips the
fruit provided with stalks. under the
cloth in the negt stage. and twists the
end OF each stalk round one of The
twigs. When hs pulls the fruit after
ward he takes care TO breal: the stalk
close to the fruit.
The cleverness lies in tho wonderful
dcxterity which the juggler displays
In mating his important movements
without being Observed.
Scarcely one OF my readers even
with this knowledge of the way in
which the trick il done. would actlal-
ly see the juggler make any one OF
the movements which he desires to be
concealed.
The Man Under the He'd.