THE PALM TREE. 

 THE PALM TREE. 



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THIS tree is named, from its straight, upright growth, for which it 

 seems more remarkable than any other tree. It sometimes rises to 

 the height of a hundred feet, and is one of the most beautiful trees 

 of the vegetable kingdom. The stalks are generally full of rugged 

 knots, which are the vestiges of the decayed leaves : for the trunk 

 is not solid like other trees, but its centre is filled with pith, round 

 which is a lough bark full of strong fibres when young, which, as 

 the tree grows old. hardens and becomes ligenous. To this bark 

 the leaves are closely joined, which in the centre rise erect, but after 

 they are advanced above the vagina that surrounds them, they ex- 

 pand very wide on every side of the stern, and as the older leaves 

 decay, the stalk advances in height. The leaves, when the tree has 

 grown to a size for bearing fruit, are six or eight feet long ; are ve- 

 ry broad when spread out, and are used for covering the tops of 

 houses, and simitar purposes. 

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