The state herald., 1891-10-30
SOME WONDERFUL TREES
INTERESTING TALK ABOUT
PECULIAR ePEClMENs.
Tree that Lives to BE Thousands Of
Years Old-A Palm Furnishes
Food, Drink, Ciothing and
Comfortable Homes.

49, csAAJ VI No6CtUOAO 6AOW8
US many things rs strange and as won.
derful rs the animal kingdom affords;
and whom 1t comes to longevity. ami
NAL life makes a very poor compare.
tive showing. II we were inclined to
travel fur enough we might sit under
the shade OF trees that spread their
branches whom little Moses slept In
his wicker basket among the bull
rushes Of the Nile. The gigantic
trees Of California are very old, says
tho Philadelphia Times; but they IRE
infants compared with some Of the
wonderful trees OF the world.
There Is an African tree called the
baobab, which lives TO be thousands
Of years old. Humboldt called 1t 1.-The
Oldest organic monument on our plan.
ct" One specimen Of II that was
carefully examined by an English bot
anist proved to be 8. .l50 years old.
At least that was the result OF the U.S.
ual tests for determining the lives Of
trees. This particular tree was thirty
feet In diameter and the spread OF It's
branches was enormous
Another wonder OF longevity is tn 9
so-called dragons blood tree OF Tene.
rife. Resin obtained from this tree
has been found in sepulchres where
1t had been used for embalmihg the
dead. Trees Of this species are now
standing which are estimated as being
older than tho Egyptian pyramids
Ono OF the strangest Of trees is the
lta palm. found abundantly on the
banks OF tho Amazon and other South
American rivers. In the swampy
regions which cover immense areas,
the Ita palm furnishes food, drink,
clothing and comfortable homes for
tho natives.
The Indians that inhabit these
swampy districts make n tolerable
vino from tho sap OF the palm, and
they distill n stronger stimulant by
crushing and fermenting tho young
fruits. The food is derived from the
soft inner bark OF the stems, and is u
substance that in taste and appear
ance, closely resembles sago. Tho
soft an6 iibrous bark Is used for gar
ments end for making strings. ropes,
hammocks and the like. In times OF
high water. often lasting two or three
months, the natives make iloOrings in
the trees with the bark ropes and live
there in comfort and contentnent.
The tree OF most varied usefulness
is probably what is commonly called
the American aloe. 1t can hardly be
dignified by the name OF tree and
might more properly be called plant
1t grows in South America, and Is
found all tho way from the plains to
elevations ten Thousand feet above the
sea. II furnishes thread for sewing
and ropes from which cables are
made strong enough TO suspend bridge
more than a hundred feet long Hum.
boldt mentions one bridge 1870 feet
long, swung from cables four inches
in diameter. that were made from this
palm bark.
Paper and clothing are also made
from the bark. and the leaves are
used for cleansing, securing and the
manufacture Of razor strops. BY
evap0rating the water from the thin
sap soap is obtained, 'as detergent as
CASTLE. and will mix aud form n lather
with salt water rs we'll as with fresh"
as reputable authority tells us.
The sap also contains sugar. and
this Is used largely in the manufact.
urc OF liquor II Is said that n very
intoxicating brandy Is another pro-
duct OF the sap, and rs the natives
seem TO have rather intermittent
attacks Of sobriety tho statement Is
probpbly correct
The bread-fruit tree flourishcs In
many OF the islands OF the South
Pacifc ocean and also In some OF tho
Islands OF the East Indies I, is IA
comparatively large tree, averaging.
perhaps. one foot In diameter. The
fruit is as large as child's head. II
is covered with thin skin and has u
relatively small core. It Is snowy
white and about the consistency of
newly-baked bread. In order to pre-.
pare II Tor food II Is cut into large
slices and roasted. II is said 10 be
easily digcstcd and very nutritious.
and 1t certainly forms staple article
OF food for thousands OF people.
Another wonder OF this kind is the
COW tree OF South America. which is
credited with yielding lacteal fluid
which In color. taste und nvtritivo
property closely resembles tho oflcr-
ings OF your milk man. II forms large
forests In some districts OF Venezuela,
and Is much priced for It's product
The tallow tree Of China is SO called
from tho fact that II produces n sub.
stance resembling tullow. md which
Is used for similar purposes. Tho
fruit Is enclosed within n pod. A
whitc pulp is found within. and this
substance the Chinese uss In making
candies, mixing little oil with II TO
mako 1t softer and more aliablc
The paper tree of the South Seas Is
species of the mulberry. Its innor
bar. Is 10 delicate TINT soft and
plcasant-fccling cloth II made from II.
which the natives use In making their
''bcst SUITS II IL also used In tho
manufacture OF very fine grade OF
paper. ..
The fiction abou, the deadly Upns
tree Of Java, which was published In
Holland little moro than hundred
years ago. and which was believed for
many years hns only this substantial
baslsi The trco exudes n poisonous
juice. which tho natives dry and mix
with other ingredients for tho tins Of
thoir arrows. Furthermore. tho upns
trec Is found In tho low valley Of Java.
where deadly cnrbonlc acid often cs.
capcs from crcviccs In volcanic rocks