CHAP. CXIII. 



CONi'fer^e. ARAUCA^RIA. 



2435 



from the parent branch. 

 The general aspect of the 

 araucaria is most striking 

 and peculiar, though it un- 

 deniably bears a distant 



2291 



family likeness to the pines 

 of our country. The fruit, 

 placed at the ends of the 

 boughs, are of regular 

 globular form, as large as a man's head; and each consists of beautifully im- 

 bricated scales, that cover the seeds, which are the most important part of this 

 truly noble tree." {Comp. Bot. 

 Mag., i. p. 35 1 .) " The wood 

 of the araucaria is red where it 

 has been affected by the forest 

 fires ; but otherwise it is white, 

 and, towards the centre of the 

 stem, bright yellow. It yields 

 to none in hardness and solidi- 

 ty, and might prove valuable 

 for many uses, if the places of 

 growth of the tree were less in- 

 accessible. For ship-building 

 it would be useful ; but it is 

 much too heavy for masts. If 

 a branch be scratched, or the 

 scales of an unripe fruit be bro- 

 ken, a thick milky juice immedi- 

 ately exudes, that soon changes 

 to a yellowish resin, of which 

 the smell is agreeable, and 

 which is considered by the Chi- 

 lians as possessing such medi- 

 cinal virtues, that it cures the 

 most violent rheumatic head- 

 achs when applied to the spot 

 where the pain is felt." (Ibid.) Of the rate of growth of this tree in its native 

 country very little is stated by travellers It is probably slow, as appears to 



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