THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. 63 



says that it lias been analyzed by a number of Che- 

 mists and found to contain 30.57 per cent, of galactin. 

 Capt. Charles Cochrane, of the Royal Navy, and Dr. 

 Webster, surgeon of an English sloop, have botli 

 described this tree, and speak of it in nearly the same 

 terms. 



The manchineel is of two varieties, one of which 

 is poison. It is common on the island of Manzanilla. 



The calabash tree is quite common. It is about 

 the size of a peach tree, and presents a peculiar ap- 

 pearance, with its enormous green, shining fruit, 

 which often hangs from the extreme end of a limb, 

 bending it towards the ground. Mangroves usually 

 grow along the coast, forming an almost impassible 

 barrier. The principal trunk often lies horizontal, 

 giving off aerial branches with bulbous extremities, 

 which take root in the muddy soil beneath, and thus 

 extend along to a great extent, like the banyan tree- 

 From the number of valuable timbers above des- 

 cribed, it would seem that there could have been no 

 necessitj^ for exporting piles and crossties for the 

 Panama Railroad, yet it has been done. Whatever 

 may be said of the forests of the Isthmus, there is no 

 timber which can ever supply the place of the 

 northern pine and cedar ; which are accessible in 

 great numbers, from a small surface ; while on the 

 Isthmus it would seem that the greatest possible va- 

 riety were crowded into a given space, and, conse- 

 quently, such timbers as are valuable are more or 

 less scattered. 



