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A Parasite Tree. 



Art. XV. — A Parasite Tree ; by Geo. W. Long, Lieut. 4th 



Regt., U. S. Artillery. 



TO THE EDITOR. 



Sir. 



Mr 



Q 



Gadsden county, in this territory, observed 

 a natural curiosity, the following description of which may be inte- 

 resting to you and many of the 

 readers of the American Journal 

 of Arts and Science. 



It is a yellow pine tree bearing 

 another in a perfectly healthful 

 and flourishing state, like itself 

 and those in the woods around 



them. The trees, as represented 

 in this sketch, are united about 

 thirty five feet from the ground, 

 where they entwine around each 

 other. The one that is borne, 

 (marked A,) extends down, to 

 within about two feet of the ground, 



and is alive and healthful to its 

 lowest extremity. 



These trees have been, in the 

 condition in which they now are, 

 for a period longer back than the 

 first settlement of the country by 



the present population. 



They 



were pointed out by the Indians as 



a curiosity to the first Americans 



who came to Florida. The stump of the tree which is borne, has 



long since disappeared, and the place which it occupied, is now grown 



up in small bushes and grass. 



Tallahasse, Florida, Oct. 26, 1833. 



It would be desirable, to know the diameter of each of the trees, 

 both Dear the ground, and at the point where they embrace.— Ed. 



