Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-11-04
THE BOTTLE TREE.
A Life Saver For Cattle During the
Australian Droughts.

A Life Saver For Cattle During the !
Australian Droughts.
SIT was like a real bottle. thirty feet
high. covered with the bark of box
tree and with a gum tree growing out
where the cork ought 10 be"
Such was the way in which an Eng
lishman described the first bottle; tree
which came under his notice, and trnly
one who does not. know the tree. Its
sudden appearance in his pathway,
often In the midst Of dense scrub, must
make vivid impression. D.
The lower part of the trunk is thick
and cylindrical, decreasing in size to-
ward the top. its shape being that Of a
gigantic living bottle. from the neck Of
which spring the only branches and
leaves that the tree possesses. In this
respect 1t carries to an excess the pc
culiarity of most Australian trees
namely, their lack OF branches for q
considerable distance up the stem.
The bark is Of grayish color and Is
very hard. says the Philadelphia In.
qnirer, but the wood inside Is soft and
moist. The latter can be chewed in
the same way as sugar cane, but as It
lacks Its sweet. pleasant taste 1t is
rarely used in this way. This peculiar
characteristic OF the tree, however,
makes it a valuable food for cattle.
Indeed. during the long droughts
which occasionally visit Australia hum
dreds Of Settlers have to thank the
bottle tree for saving them from ruin.
Sometimes for more than "a year and
in the inland districts for still longer
periods scarcely a drop of rain falls.
Every blade OF grass is dried, tanks
become empty, creeks no longer run
and in many cases dry up altogether,
as do nearly all water holes and la
goons: cultivation is impossible, and
fodder for cattle and horses Is extreme
| ~ difficult to procure. Then the bottle
| tree comes to the rescue. Every scrub
! Is searched for these living bottles,
and everywhere is heard the ringing Of
axes as the strange. attractive trees
are laid low. ssl ~
i AS 6UOu dS LIE u ullh IuS UCCh olA&Rs
ped Of its bark the cattle are brought
| to 1t If within easy distance. and there
they remain till neither leaves mol
! wood Is left; In places where the
settlers have no scrubs of their own
they viii drive many miles In order to
obtain wagon load Of this great treas.
ure. 4. ;sss 5ss. 5ss.$z M !, !ss
/ Sometimes instead OF allowing the
animals free access to the tree the set
tiers cut the trunk Into strips, put the
strips through the cutter and thus
/ make substitute for proper chat.
In many instances during q drought
except for prickIy pears and the foil
age Of trees, cattle are fed on these
living bottles alone, and they hav.
been the means Of saving large quaint
ties OF stock.
4 1t seems strange that In the absenc
Of rain these trees should retain thei
! moist interior. as the majority of 9th
4 ers look dry and drought stricken.
u But throughout all the bottle tire
s fiourishes. lifting It's dark green leave
4 toward the sky, whittier the farmer
and squatters turn longing eyes 1
hopes Of the wished FOR rain.
4 When the dry season ends and tn
land in a very few weeks is coyere
& with fresh green grass, the work Q
I the bottle tree Is done. But, mindfu
Of It's past usef ufness, no farmer un
less under absolute necessity fells thi
tree. and It may often be seen stand
| ing In solitary grandeur, its strang
shape outlined against the blue SKY
while the land at its base has bee
| put under cultivation or has been cor
verted into grazing grounds for th
cattle. {