The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-04-07
'JAVA'S GIANT TREE,
ARBoREAL slAMEsE TWIN HUNDREDS
CID OF YEARS OLD. ilt

Orchids. 1t wooes the Worship and
Wonder Of Men.
Undoubtedly the largest tree the world
has ever seen is the giant tree in the island
of Java. This monarch of the eastern for
ests stands on the site of what I'm ancient
times was the city of Padajarian, the glo-
ries Of which, now long since departed,
were of so magnificent character as TO
have been extolled I'm the songs of contem-
porary poets who flourished In those re-
mote days, who never tired of telling of its
grand buildings, its magnificent palaces,
and, above all, Of its wonderful tree
Earthquake AMI time have long swept the
city and its people away into common
oblivion and have left little save the sur.
yiving poetry to tell of the existence of
this beautiful city. But the great tree
still remains, which the devastating earth
quake shook, but could not destroy. This
veritable vegetable giant, which spreads
out its great branches over a large area of
ground formerly overshadowed the great
palace of the native princes who ruled in
times long anterior to the Dutch sway and
was ever the wonder not only of tho whole
city and island, but also of the East In
dian continent generally. 1t still stands
as "a recording monument, linking the past
with the present. and commands not only
the wonder and admiration of visitors
from distant parts but the alteration Of
the Indian natives, who worship at it's
shrine.
The place where this great wonder of
nature stands is called Batutulico Con-
tiouous to its base is a small wooden house
where several Mohammedan priests and at
tendants reside who perform daily native
religious ceremonies and services. To their
especial care is committed the conservancy
of this monarch of the forest, and also the
custody of number of much priced and
yenerated relics of the departed city, and
from the fees received for the exhibition of
these and showing the wonderful tree they
manage to derive fair income, for the
tree enjoys an odor of sanctity much be-
yond all else in the island, and attracts
not only the faithful to its shrine, but also
the curious from far and near.
It stands contiguous to the wayside and
forms an imposing and striking feature in
alandscape by no means otherwise deficient
in natural grandeur, on an elevated plain,
freely visible from all sides, attracting the
attention of all corners, even In the far dis
lance So noble is its appearance, so ma
jestic It's port, that once beheld IL can never
be forgotten. Shining rivers, waving fields
of golden oolored cereals, woods and noun
tains together with n live volcano In the
background, complete the picture. Its
trunk is Of such great girth and dimen-
sions so vast that q score Of men joining
their outstretched hands cannot complete
ly embrace it. Botanical data are not
Forthcoming for the determination of It's
age. for it is deemed too sacred a subject
to allow of a proper expert examination
being made,
Perhaps the greatest marvel, though, IL
that it is In reality two trees blended, as II
were, and welded into one, and, still more
curious to relate, two trees OF the same
genus, but of different species. Both have
grown together and form an indivisibl'
common trunk of enormous size. The dis
tinctive features of each species appear un
mistakably In the branches, and reveal th'
very remarkable difference In the color o.
the foliage. At little distance of thii
presents a truly strange spectacle. Tit
leaves of one are of lively and beautiful
green, while those of the other are OF
much deeper shade on the upper surfao'
and pale on the under. The one has long
slender, dropping branches adorned Will
elegant foliage, refreshing to look upon.
From it's majestic appearance this kint
used to be planted In front OF the palace
of the native rulers Its larger branche
put forth fascicles of roots, which, instead
of descending, as Is common among piants
to the earth, have crept along the OH
trunk, wrapped their strong arms aroun'
1t and ultimately blended themselves witt
It. The other Species less graceful per
haps in growth, has shorter, more rugge'
and lustier branches, and by these and tn
color of its leaves is readily distinguishes
from It's twin relative. Below, both DC
came, so to say, fused into one mass, min
Cling sap and fiber together. The tree
both belong to the natural family mo
racea, a race which has given birth to sew
eral other giants of the vegetable world
They are of the genus fcus.
On arriving at the base or entrance G
the tree the visitor today who has come :
inspect its wonders is met by the priests !
charge, who proceed to perform Forthwith
some slight religious ceremony, at the tel
mination of which an invitation Is give
to ascend it's aged Sides which Is done
means of the countless lateral branche
and the aid of peasants, who are at han
to render assistance to all who require IL
the Journey aloft. On arriving at the mol
ticultural plateau or tableland at the sun
nit words fail to at all adequately descrit
the lovely scene which meets ING cyo III q
directions 1t Is literally clothed all ov'
with elegant flowers and parasitic plant
Orchids in multitude OF species nav
crawled up many withered branch an
flung down gorgeous flowers, roots an
leaves in one waving mass OF fantast
fragrance and floral elegance. Lichei
scaled up the wooden cliffs and ferns
many species grow up from the dark nc
lows underneath, while loranths suck u
vital juices and scrophulariads cover u
branches with veritable patonworA
many brilliant hues.
This tree, in fact may with truth
termed a garden in the air. mundal
paradise. The rain of ages has wash.
down into its cavities dead leaves and q
caying material and thus rich invigola
ing vegetable world has been create
highly fitted for and giving exuberal
nourishment to the host OF plants wnion
nd n