The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-12-09
QUEER TREES.
The Baobab Said to BE the Oldest Or
ganic Structure on Earth.

0OGGh IREGSs
The Baobab Said to Be the Oldest Or
ganic Structure on Earth.
The study of vegetable life shows us
many things as strange and wonderful
as the animal kingdom affords. and
when it comes to longevity animal life
makes very poor comparative show
ing. says the Philadelphia Times. If
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 bulrushes of the Nile. The gigantic
trees of California are very old, but
thev are infants compared with some
of the wonderful trees in the old world.
There is an African tree called the
baobab, which lives to be thousands of
years old. Humboldt calls it 1.-The old
est organic monument on our planet"
One specimen of it that was carefully
examined by an English botanist prov
ed to be 5. $50 years old. At least that
was the result of the usual tests for de-
termining the lives of trees. This par
ticular 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 Ten
eriffe. Resin obtained from this tree
has been found in sepulchers, where it
had been used for embalming the
dead. Trees of this species are now
standing which are estimated as be-
ing older than the Egyptian pyramids.
One of the strangest of trees is the
TIA palm. found abundantly on the
banks of the Amazon and other south
American rivers. In the swampy re-
gions which cover immense areas. the
Ita palm furnishes food, drink, cloth
ing. and comfortable homes for the ma
tives.
The Indians that inhabit these
swampy districts make a tolerable
wine from the sap of the palm, and
they distill a stronger stimulant by
crushing and fermenting the young
fruits. The food is derived from the
soft inner bark of the stems. and is a
substance that, in taste and appear
ance. closely resembles sago. The soft
and fibrous bark is used for garments
and for making string, ropes. ham,
mocks, and the like. In times of high
water, often lasting two or three
months, the natives make flooring in
there in comfort and contentment.
The tree of most varied usefulness is
probably what is commonly called the
American aloe. 1t can hardly be dig
nitied by the name of tree, and might
more properly be called plant. 1t
grows in South America. and is found
all the way from the plains to eleva-
tions 10, 900 feet above the sea. 1t fur
nishes thread for sewing and ropes
from which cables. are made strong
enough to suspend bridge more than
100 feet long. Humboldt mentions
one bridge 130 feet long, swung from
cables four inches in diameter, thai
was made from this palm bark.
Paper and clothing are also made
from the bark, and the leaves are useC
for cleansing. securing, and the man
ufacture of razor strops. By eyapor
ating the water from the thin sap. soa]
is obtained as detergent as CASTLE, ant
will mix and form lather with salt wa
ter as we'll as with fresh,'' as rep
utable authority tells US.
The sap also contains sugar, and thi
is used largely in the manufacture o
liquor. 1t is said that very intoxi
eating brandy is another product O
the sap and as the natives seem t.
have rather intermittent attacks of SO
briefly the statement is probably col
rect
The bread-fruit tree fiourishes il
many of the islands of the south Pa
7 cific ocean and also in some of the isl
ands of the East Indies. 1t is a com
/ paratively large tree, averaging, pei
2 haps, one foot in diameter. The frui
: is as large as a child's head. 1t is Gov
l cred with thin skin and has relativel
} small core. 1t is snowy white an
t about the consistency of newly bake
! bread. In order to prepare it for foo
, it is cut into large slices and roasted
1t is said to be easily digested and yer
nutritious, and it certainly forms
staple article of food for thousands {
e people.
e Another wonder of this kind is tt
!. COW tree of South America, which
}, credited with yielding lacteal hui
i which in color. taste. and nutritiy
r property closely resembles the offel
o ings of your milkman. 1t forms larg
n forests in some districts of Venezuel
K and is much priced for its product.
The tallow tree of China is so calle
+ from the fact that it produces sui
s stance resembling tallow and which
s used for similar purposes. The fru
d is inclosed within pod. A whit
i pulp is found within and this substane
the Chinese use in making candle
d mixing little oil with it to make
e softer and more pliable.
e The paper tree of the South sea is
n species of the mulberry. Its innc
it bark is so delicate that soft and plea
il ant-feeling cloth is made from it, whic
IS the natives use in making their "be
: suits" 1t is also used in the mani
faeture of very fine grade of pape
IS The fiction about the deadly Up;
It tree of Java which was published
h Holland little more than a hundre
IL years ago. and which was believed fl
a many years. has only this substanti
e basis: The tree exudes a poisonol
1t juice which the natives dry and M
n with other ingredients for the tips
r their arrows. Furthermore. the Up;
n tree is found in the low valley of Jav
e where deadly carbonic acid often e
n capes from crevices in volcanic roc
DIFFERENT KINDS OF BUFFALO.
One Species That Emits a Pleasant Cd