CHAPTER VI. 



THE GREAT BUSH REGION, OR JUNGLE COUNTRY. 



Its Position and Extent. Gradual Change from Damp to Dry Cli- 

 mate. Disappearance of Evergreen Forest. Appearance of Deci- 

 duous Trees. High Solar Day Temperatures. Equatorial Climates 

 Contrasted with Those of the Bush Region. The Hot Season not the 

 Unhealthy Season. The Rains as a Cause of Sickness. Jungle Fever. 

 Bursting of the Monsoon. Wondrous Changes Produced by the Rains. 

 Tropical Harvests. The Cool Season. The Hot Season. Sun-Dried 

 Earth. The Tropical Night. The Tropical Sun. Phenomenal Tem- 

 peratures Mostly Occur Outside the Tropics. Tropical Clothing. Dan- 

 ger of Incautious Exposure to the Sun. Immunity of Persons in Active 

 Exercise. Heat Apoplexy. Alcohol and Sun-Stroke. General Immunity 

 of Sportsmen during Indian Hot Summer. And of European Troops 

 on the March during the Indian Mutiny. Disease and Stationary 

 Camps. Divisions of the Bush Country. The Heavy Forests. The 

 Indian Teak Tree. Fall of the Leaf Caused by Heat, instead of Cold. 

 The Sal Forest. Central American Mahogany Forests. Ruins and 

 Forest Growths. The Trade Winds. Effect of Mountain Ranges on 

 Climate. The Jungle or Dwarf Forest. Grass Jungles. A Great In- 

 dian Grass Tangle. Jungle Belt at Foothills of Mountains. The Indian 

 "Terai." Its Deadly Climate. "El Tablazo" of Peru. Causes of 

 Malaria. Jungles Near Mountains. Malaria Germs and Water. The 

 Arborescent Grasses. Bamboos. " Elephant Grass." Scented Grasses. 

 Central African Grass Jungles. Egyptian Papyrus Reed. Indian Sola 

 Reed. Pith Helmets. Sola Shikar Hats. The Saccharineae. Sugar 

 Plantations. Rattans and Other Thorny Creepers. Tropical Grasses 

 and Those of the Temperate Zone Contrasted. The Park-Like Region 

 of the Bush Country. General Characteristics of the Dwarf Bush. 

 Grasses of the Bushy Plains in the Dry Season. The Thorny Bush. 

 Thorns and Drought. Acacia Gums. Frosted Gums and Enchanted 

 Gardens. Arab Genii. Grass Fires. Their Effect on Tree Life. 

 Acacia Foliage and Bark. Tanning Barks. Scented Acacia Blooms. 

 Acacia Timber Trees. Overpowering Fragrance of Mimosa Blooms. 

 The Sleep of Plants. Linnaeus on the Sleep of Plants. Sensitive 

 Plants. The Sleep of Plants may be Artificially Produced. Baobab 

 Trees. Their Immense Antiquity. Medicinal Virtues of the Baobab. 

 The Baobab as an Exotic. Great Tamarind Trees. Pilgrims Resting 

 Beneath an Aged Tree. The Scriptures on a Great Tree. Great 

 Trees on the Indian Plains. The Red Cotton Tree. The Indian 

 Peepul Tree. The Peepul as a Parricide and Destroyer of Buildings. 



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