Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-27

81 OF II explodes with q loud report. The
familiar Brazil NUT grows in hard spherical
pods, each Of which contains from eighteen to
twenty-four OF the triangular seeds that come
to market So beautifully are they packed BY
nature that no man yet has ever been able 10
put them back in their receptacle after once
they have been taken out. In South America
also there is u ''cow tree" which gives milk
that is shown by chemical analysis
to be OF almost exactly the same CON-
position as that Of the COW. which it resembles
10 perfection in appearance and quality. tast-
ing like sweet cream. Deep in the swamps and
Forests of the Island of Formosa grows a plant
the stems Of which are filed with fine white
pith. This pith is cut by the Chinese into thin
strips and is called rice paper, Bodies Of
the dead suspended within hollows Of the
''baobab" tree that grows in Africa are TRIMS
formed into nummies for all eternity without
further process Of embalment. On the ele-
waited barren plains west OF the Volga grows a
plant closely resembling lamb, which was
stalk upon which it could turn and
feed upon the heritage about it, but
when the grass died it persisted from
hunger. The likeness referred to is not
to be denied, though its death when the grass
dries up is due to the same caGse that kills the
other vegetation, namely, drought. Every one
has heard of the famous deadly upas tree" of
Java, which was declared to grow in desert all
aione-no other plants around it, nor fish in the
waters, nor animals of any sort. since even the
birds flying over it we're killed by its effluyium.
Criminals condemned to die according to the
story, were offered the chance to escape eyecu-
tion by going to the tree and collecting some of
Its poison. About two out Of every score re-
turned. and they reported having found the
ground strewn with bones OF their predeces-
sors. Subsequent investigation has discovered
a certain basis OF truth in the tale. which lies
IN the fact that these upas trees grow in low
volcanic Valleys rendered unwEo.esome by the
suiphurous fumes escaping from crevices in the
earth. Streams in such neighborhoods are so
impregnated with suiphuric acid that no fish
can live in them. The trees Juice is very
poisonous, but otherwise it is harmless.
aRorEsoUE CAcrI.
Most strange and grotesaue of the plants at
the Botanic Garden are the cacti They would
appear to have been created by nature in a
freakish and irresponsible mood. One might
imagine them to properly belong in some
other world than this, only halt alive rs they
seem and assuming such extraordinary and
even absurd forms. Certain naturalists have
imagined that they must be relics of yegeta-
uon belonging to period long prior to the
Development OF the plant life familiar to the
present generation. Their characteristic
splnes. emitting them to the name of yege-
table hed5ehogs, accentuate their Impossible.
NY as contemporary species. The larger
forms, some towering to fifty feet in
height and other individuals weighing IA
ton or more. beautifully adorn the Mexican
landscape, which in many parts obtain an
aspect extremely weird from these astonishing
growths. That country, in fact. contains three
fourths OF the entire number of varieties
known. Nature provides the cacti with spines
III order to save them from being eaten by
animals. Horses are very fond OF them and
VIII frequently devour them, after kicking off
the prickly surface with their hoofs
there are few known plants which afford
such beautiful examples OF symmetrical struct-
ure as the ''mammillnria' group of cacti. many
OF which resemble exquisite pieces OF mechan-
ism finished with the utmost minuteness and
accuracy. Others might be imagined to have
undergone kind OF capitalization, their VIII lie
surface being frosted over in Ceometiical pat
terms OF them the celebrated botanist. Lind
ley, SAID: Gcntie reader, hast tnou ever seen
IN display of fireworks crowd OF wheels all
in motion at once, crossing each other in every
direction. and canst thou fancy those wheels
arrested by some magic power, their rays re-
tanned, but their fires extnguished! Then
mSyest thou conceive the curious beauty of this
little herb. plant SO unlike all others that we
would fam believe it the terminated spirit of a
race that fiourished in former ages with those
hideous monsters whore bones alone remain to
tell the history OF their existence in the quar-
ries OF our sandstone, slate and clay
IL Is from "a species of cactus that cochineal
:" oo'aiheu, anu ior tie purpose OF gathering
from 1t the insects SO valuable in commerce
great estates are planted with 1t in the West
Indies Algeria, the Canary Islands and India.
The plants are set out in rows. trimmed to the
height of four or five feet. In August or Sep
TENDER OF each year il the season for what is
called the ''fowins,' when the field hands
attach 10 the cacti by means OF thorns leaves
covered with female btigs, which are thus left
IN o:der that they may produce their young.
The latter quickly swarm over the plants,
from which they are removed four months
later with blunt knives. This process is a
tedious one l0.0)0 being required to make a
pound. Finally the insects are killed by i'm
incrsion in boiling water and dried in the sun,
that being the condition in which tney are ex-
ported.
One OF the most surprising curiositics in this
branch OF the vegetable Kingdom is the odd
Man Cactus, which derives its name from the
siiSery white hairs that cover the UPPER part of
Its IN. giving il a peculiar Resemblance to
The hoary head OF an aged man. The hairs are
In reality soft, weak spines. When the laut
Is grown i'll the house II Is best accommodated
In glass case, inssmuch az dust will Otherwise
render the hairs ding and impart to the old
gentleman very disreputabie appearance.