12 
The banyan tree is often a very active agent in the destruction 
of the walls of temples and other buildings. A seed, deposited 
by some passing bird in a crevice of some wall, soon geimindics, 
sending its stout roots further and further into the crevice, and 
finally destroys the structure. One would immediately suggest 
that such destruction might be avoided by merely uprooting the 
young plants ; but this tree is held sacred by the Hindus, and, if 
any damage threatened the young tree, the building, and not the 
tree, would be sacrificed. 
The word “banyan” seems to have been first applied to a 
large tree of this species which grew at Gombroon. This speci- 
men was a favorite of the “ Banyans,”’ or Hindu traders, who had 
settled at this place and had built a pagoda under its branches. 
Economically, the banyan tree is of considerable importance 
to the people in the regions where it grows. It yields a milky 
juice, as others of this genus do, and from this an inferior quality 
of rubber is extracted. It is also made into a bird-lime by mix- 
ing with it a certain proportion of mustard-seed oil. A coarse 
rope and more or less paper are made from its bark. Medicin- 
ally, it is used externally to relieve pains and bruises, and it is 
considered of great value as an application for the soles of the 
feet when cracked or inflamed. An infusion of the bark is con- 
sidered of great value as a tonic and in the treatment of diabetes. 
In times of scarcity the small red figs are eaten by the poorer 
classes, this large tree being a relative of the fig-tree which fur- 
nishes the edible figs of commerce. The leaves and young twigs 
are eaten with apparent relish by elephants and cattle. The 
leaves also fill another want, for they are frequently used as 
plates. The wood is said to be of moderate hardness, but is not 
of much value; its durability in the presence of moisture, how- 
ever, makes it useful for well-curbs. The wood of the aerial 
roots is said to be stronger, and this is often used for tent-poles, 
cart-yokes, etc. 
The genus /icus, of which the banyan tree is but one species, 
is widely distributed, almost exclusively in tropical regions, in 
both the old world and the new, being especially abundant in the 
former. At the present time there are said to be about six hun- 
