The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-04-14
SOME STRANGE PLANTS.
Odd Specimens from Distant Parts
of the World.
isaris That Resembles Lace Gyrating
Observation-Disclosures Treos. Snake
Seed, and Many Other
Jurlos.

Inc cOIIccuOn OF inc department. OF
agriculture of plants useful to man
adds 4 new department of interest to
the public museums of Washington,
says the Collector. Among the most
remarkable of tho plants is tho lace
bark tree of Jamaica, the inner bark of
which is composed of many layers of
iibcrs, that ntcrlacc it in all directions
Caps, r;iiilcs, and even complete suits of
lace are made from it. 1t bears wash
ing with common soap. and when
blcachcd in the sun acquires u degree OF
whitcncss equal to the best artificial
lace, with which this surprising natural
product compares quite favorably as to
beauty.
Another curiosity is known in The
tropics as the sandbarll tree, and also as
the monkeys dinner bell. 1t has a
round. hard-shcllcd fruit, about the
size of an orange, which, when ripe
and dry, bursts with sharp noise like
the report of Il pistol. Its juice is
poisonous. The South American
trumpet tree might furnish band
with musical instruments, inasnuch as
its hollow branches are utilized for
horns and also for drums.
From Travoncorc comes Il quaint
plant called the ccrbcrus, which has IA
milky, poisonous juice. Tho unripc
fruit is used by the natives to destroy
dogs, as its action causes their teeth to
loosen and fall out. The leaves of tho
so-callcd American aloe arc made into
razor strops and are also employed for
cleaning and securing pewter Quite Il
wonderful tree is the calabash of the
West Indies, which bears enormous
fruits shat resemble pumpkins, which
grow to be nearly two feet in di
amctcr. With tho pulp removed they
serve various purposcs-for carrying
water and even rs kettles for cooking
having the great advantages of strength
and lightncss.
Another queer plant.in the collection
belongs to the pea family and is called
the moving plant" on account of the
manner in which its leaves turn around
of their own accord or go by jerks
without being Touched or in any way
disturbed. Sometimes only one or two
leaves on II plant will be affected; at
other times they will all perform jumps
and gyrations simultaneously. 1T is OBJ
served that the movements are most en-
crgctic when the thermometer marks
is so called because its flcshy, canc-lilIc
stems render spccchlcss anyone who
may happen to bite them.
In the West Indies grows the silk cot
ton or gold tree, the fruit of which is
very beautiful silky fiber, highly elastic
ana used for stuf1ing cushions. An in
tcrcsting specimen is the pippul tree of
the IIintloos, which is held in such ven
Grafton that it is considered Il crime to
cut off one of the branches. There is
also Il toothbrush tree from jamaica.
Toothbrushcs arc made from it by cut
ting pieces of the stem to convenient
lengths and fraying the ends. 1t also
supplies, conveniently enough, an OK
ccllent tooth powder, which is prepared
by pulveri2ing the dried stems.
This wonderful vegetable asscmblagc
includes the celebrated hcnna plant of
the cast, the powdered leaves of which
are commonly utilized as a cosmetic in
Asia and northern Africa The prac-
ticc has descended from very remote
ages, as is proved by the Egyptian mum
mics, the parts dyed being usually the
finger and toe nails, the tips of the fin
gers, the palms of the hands, and the
soles of the feet. The reddish tint pro-
duccd is considered highly ornamental
by Oriental bellies. In Brazil there
grows tree which has hard urn-shapcd
fruits, known as monkey cups. They
contain edible nuts, and the huslls are
very peculiar. being six inches in diane
ter and having regular lids which fit
them closely and separate when the
seeds are mature.
=
because the seed is twisted in manner
to resemble n coilcd serpent. For this
reason the Indians employ the nuts as
an antidotc for snake poison Another
curiosity is the papyrus of Asia, which
yielded the substance used as paper by
the ancient Egyptians. For this pur-
pose the wood of the reed stem was cut
in slices, which were placed side by
side, according to the size of sheet re-
quircd. After being wet and beaten
with n wooden instrument until smooth
they were pressed and dried in the sun
a queer plant Is Il native of Madagas-
car Formerly the seeds, which are
very poisonous. were administered to
persons accused of crime. If the in
diyidual was innocent the dose excited
vomiting and his recovery was looked
upon as satisfactory vindication, but
when retained in the stomach it quick
~ proved fatal and guilt was then cs-
tablishcd. The vegetable ivory plant
of South America is Il wcll-lnown com
mcrcial article Its seeds at first con-
tain clear, insipid liquid, which
changes by degrees until it becomes as
hard as ivory, for which it is used as a
substitute.
From eastern Asia comes plant, the