The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-18

that limit II fails because It's rapid
growth gives It no sturdiness where
with to stand upright.
Forced by thu haste of the same
struggle for life the timber growth goes
spindling into the air where 1t may
spread its leaves in the sun and bring
their chlorophyl into the laboratory OF
the chemical changes in the presence OF
light and water vapor which provide
the food for the tissue. Here we have
no such stalwart trunks as OF the oak
In temperate regions, no such pillars as
OF the conifers on mountain slopes In
drier climes. No matter what the
height Of these tropical trees, they are
thin, they readily capsize under the
sudden blast Of the storm: the soil Is
too thin to give them a firm root base,
for this reason a common type IL that
OF lanky trunks upheld at the base by
radiant buttresses, trees which grow
their own boards before they can be
brought to the saw. These trunks are
uniformly bare OF branches except at
the summit, for there alone can leaves
come under the eye OF the sun.
Between the leaf canopy and tbs
tangled growth below It is not to be
thought that the absence Of branches
leaves vacant area along which the
view can range. There Is a distinctive
vegetation OF the middle height, a tan
gle Of dependent things as depressing as
the gear upon u derelict. In this middle
tier grow epiphytic plants which find a
Judgment upon leaning trunks and
sprawl ungracefully. getting their liv-
ing in part as parasites upon the better
growth which upholds them. feeding
-. a
ing their position only to uphold them
In place and extracting their nourish-
ment from the air. OF each Of these
sorts are the orchids. cuckoos OF vege-
tation despite 'hoir brillancy. other OF
these intermediate growths have their
beginning in the soil. lianas, rattans.
climbing palms, running 10 length with
out strength. climbing UP the trunks
OF trees and dependent from the
branches, such rigging as keeps many a
forest erect for long after the blast Of
the furious gale has torn It from the
earth and left II hanging with no more
dignity Of death than the gibbeted male
factor hung in chains.
Such is the general picture of the
forests Of the equatorial region OF the
earth morass underfoot. dripping air,
no vistas in the middle tangle no
breeze, twilight, seldom a sound OF the
, life which moves and goes noisily about
It's work. The systematic botanist may
note variety of genera and species
I which may dlfferentiate the Jungle OF
the East indies. the forest Of the Congo.
the guapo Of the Amazons: but TO the
botanical biologist looking beyond mere
systems. which are but conveniences
OF record, Ike causes produce like
effects. The foregoing picture is re-
vived from the memory Of many such
DIM forests The detailed Illustrations
~ Mr.. Shreves work show that
the forest which crowns waste Jamaica
is Of this triple layer These plates, and
we note the extreme difficulty which
accompanies the use of the camera in
these dim recesees OF the forest. inter
pref for us what must have been the
condition in the Carhonlferous Age
when over-luxuriant growth such as
now is restricted to the torrid regions
was laying down in It's debris the coal
measures which now We employ TO cor
/ rect Tho chill OF cooling earth. The
keynote Of these forests is pace. not
that which kills. but the pace which
alone means life In this urge Of com
petition
Jamaica has OF recent years been
brought out OF its seclusion. It has been
Included in the tours OF those who sock
- avoid the rigors Of our northern dis
comfort. II has become suburban Ia
New York. Perhaps largely in conse-
puenCe " our linguistic poverty, per
haps because Of a better sanitary repu-
tat;or than cuba. Jamaica is familiar
~ many of our population. This win
'c- familiarity ts bu. skin deep, an ac-
quaintancc with Kingston and hotel
or two which are not In any sort repre-
sentative Of Jamaican creole ife A
tolerant ride through plantations for
The qualification OF the curiosity az the
sight Of the pine, the banana. the avo-
cqdo, the breadfruit growing on their
proper trees or lesser support, the yam
seldom appreciated Perhaps the ac-
qualutance may extend 70 some slight
. ComprCh ansion OF tho fact that there is
an interior To the island it's length OF
$50 niles and Is breadth Of at places
fifty miles admits Of such possibility.
seldom does he tourist know more OF
( this interior than 10 serve as back
| ground for comfortably shudderv tales
of the Maroons The 'Jamaicans them
selves hav" little more familiarity with
that portion of their own island. which
is little used save by a few negroes
and certain remote settlements Of whites
who have drifted away from association
with their race.