3o8 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[November 2 , 1891. 
of gigantic trees in the worltl, perhaps. One who 
visited the Mariposa Grove last'year writes: “They 
are not trees at first sight. You can neither measure 
them with your eye nor sit in their shade — only 
take in a portion of the brown trunk as largo iw a 
good-sized house. It is only by an unusual effort 
of looking up that wo see either foliage or limbs. 
They are not beautiful — simply enonnoiis." Imagine 
one tree measuring 00 feet in circumference ; this is 
true of “GrizzW Giant.” “ Wawona,” sometimes 
called “Tunnel Tree,” has a roadway cut tlirough the 
solid heart which is 27 feet through, 10 feet high 
and 10 wide, and yet tlie tree is vigorous and growing. 
There are many others equally as wonderful in this 
famous California forest. 
The cypress, in ancient times, was considered a 
sacred tree, and idols wore carved from it. The 
Pacific Coast Indians were found using it in their 
ceremony of purification in their wildest savage state. 
The mulberry has been called the wisest of trees 
from tlie fact that it never jjuts fortii its buds and 
loaves till tlie season U so far advanced tiiat there 
is 110 inclement weather to be appreliendod. Rose- 
wood is said to owe its suggestive naiuo to the fact 
that when the tree is first cut the fresh wood pos- 
sesses a very powerful rose-like fragrance. There are 
several varieties of this wood and all very valuable. 
The Quinnepiac oak at Woodbridgo, Conn., which 
was cut in 1882, was pronounced the oldest tree on 
the Atlantic Coast, Gen. Liafayotto and other 
officers of Washington's army once rested under its 
spreading shade wnile on the march, and a visit to 
the tree by Woodworth is said to have inspired the 
pooui, “The Old Oaken Bucket.” In front of Mace- 
donia Church, in Columbia county, Georgia, is a 
quivering tree, Every limb, largo and small, on the 
tree trembles as in fear, or as a stiilering animal 
would quiver, and this occurs when not a breath of 
Q>ir is stirring. 
The Hcotch fir is a blessing to the country in 
which it grows. The poor man’s hut is lighted by 
torches made of the branches, whicli burn moat 
brilliantly owing to the resinous nature of the wood. 
In the barren parts of Swodon and Lapland tlio 
peasants select the oldest and least resinous of the 
tranchofl, take out the inner bark, which they grind 
and mix with their stsanty supply of meal, making it 
into cakes called bark-bread. 
In the islands of the West Indioa grows a tree 
resomblinff an apple tree in height and size, known 
as the calabash tree. It has wedge-shaped leaves, 
large, whitish, fleshy blossoms that grow on tho 
trunk and big branches. Tho fruit is much like a 
common gourd, only a good deal stronger, and often 
measures 12 inches in diameter. Tho hard shell of 
this is cut into various shapes by tho natives 
and is sometimes handsomely carved. It is made 
into drinking-cups, dishes, pails, and even pots, and 
can actually bo used over the lire for boiling water. 
But the calabasli pot gives out after a few trials over 
the lire, and is unfit for further service. 
Probably tho only trees which grow ready-made 
whistles are those found iu tho forests of Nubia. 
When this tree is swayed by the wind, strange 
sounds may be heard like tho notes of a flute, a 
fife, or a penny whistle. Tho vocal tree was a 
wonder to all wlio hoard tlie mysterious sounds, uii- 
till explanation was given by a scientific traveller 
who investigated the matter. He found that at 
certain seasons of the year hordes of insects de- 
posited their eggs on tho young shoots and ends 
of branches. When the young insects emerged, 
small holes were left in the galls. Die wind blow- 
ing tlirough these openings caused the strange noise. 
In New Zealand is a tree fatal to birds. The 
seed vessels give off a sticky fluid, and many a fiy 
finds himself on the gummy stuff. These flies attract 
small birds, and they too get so covered witli the 
fluid that they are unable to fly. They are also 
attracted by the clusters of. ripe fruit, which they 
intend to eat, but when once covered by tJis fatal 
gum they remain, not to cat, but to be eaten by 
other animals. 
The most important article for illuminating purposes 
la jftpaa is ctovIIq Uwi. Iho 9^ s' 
tree which very much resembles tlie common sumac 
of this coimtry, and is called “tho vogotablo wax 
tree.'’ I’lie berries are the size of a small pea, of 
a whitish colour, hanging in olustora. and contain 
tho wax as a tliick, white coating of tlio seed. Tlio 
wax is obtained by tho berries being crashed, 
strained and pressed in liomp-liags, or by boiling tlie 
liruiaed soeds and skimming the wax from the ton. 
h’rom experiments made, this troe can be readily 
grown in this country. It is liigliiy ornamental as 
well as valiiablo for its production. 
In a part of Africa not frequently visited by tra- 
vellers, the discovery lias been made of a troo whicli 
yields butter. Under iio system of trcatiiient can 
It bo made to equal that churned from milk, hut by 
suiting it is soniowiiat similar, liy heating witli a 
solution of potash or soda it is easily converted into 
soai). 
Tne “stinging troo '' of Quconslaud is a luxurious 
sliruh, pleasing to tlio eye, but dangerous to tlio 
toneli. It grows from two or throe inches to 10 or 
15 feet iu height, and sends forth a very disagreeable 
odor. Its effects are curious; it leaves no mark, 
liut the pain is maddening, and for montlis after- 
ward tile part when touched is tender in rainy weather 
or when wet in washing. 
_ A inarvolloiia palm grows in the village of I’odur, 
cliildron plucked its fruit at five 
o clock one afternoon and ilocked early tlie next 
morning to gatlior more, hut they found the liranches 
now far above tlioir lieads. Observation sliowod tliat 
tlio tree liad bceiiciianging its position every morn- 
ing and ovoniiig. It is 11 feet in height. One wlio 
has seen it writes: “At O'BU tlio tree was almost 
lying toward tlio west. Tho foot of tlio troe was at 
an angle of live to seveh degrees witli the ground, 
and we wore given to understand tliat it liad already 
conimenccd to rise from foiu o'clock. A liandkcr- 
ohiof wliicli liad lioou tied to one of tiio loaves, 
so that its other end just touched tho ground, liad 
risen six inciios. At H p.m,, tlio haiidkorciiiof was 
eighteen inciios from tho ground, and at ii a.in., 
Ono of tlio greatest wonders of Madagascar is tlio 
“Traveller's 'I roe.” Its stem roseuiblos that of a 
plantain ; hut it sonde out its two wing-like leaves 
(vvliicli resemble a largo expanded fan) on opposite 
aides of tho stalk. In an aged troo the lowest of 
these loaves will be from 20 to 40 feet from tlio 
ground. Tho fruit grows in large bundles, witli three 
or four sucli biinclios to a tree. Tlio leaves aro 
used for roof tliatcliiug, and tlio loaf stalks twirled 
together servo for the walls of tiio islanders’ huts. 
Tlio most reiuarkahlo property of tliis, and tho ono 
which gives its iiamo “ traveller's tree,’’ is its leaf 
stalks, which, even in the driest seasons, alwavs 
contain water; and the wayfarer, if he be thirsty, 
has only to pierce tlie tliick base of a stalk to obtain 
fully a quart of iniro and rufiosliiug liquid. 
Newton. N. U., has a curiosity tliat beats by a 
largo majority tlio rain tree whicli gained such no- 
toriety ill Uharlotto in 18BB. It is a smoking troe, 
iiiul baffles all ouortd at explanation. It ia a white 
Diulberry troo,wad brought Rom Illinois ayear or two 
ago, ami ia now about 12 feet high, with a busliy 
top and inany lateral brandies. Puffs of smoko, 
identical in appearance to cigarette smoke, are seen 
starting every now and then from all over the tree j 
sometmies fromtho leaves, sometimes from tho bloom, 
sometimes from the bark of the limbs or trunk. 
Tho puffs aro at irregular intervals; sometinios two 
or three at once from various parts of the tree, and 
soinetiincs they are several socouds or a half minute 
apart. They just come haphazard from any part of 
the tree, and as they ascend in tlie air, look ex ictly 
like the smoke from a cigarette. 
Professor Bchclwisch, the well-known naturalist 
of Bavaria, while travelling with the Stanley expedi- 
tion in the heart of Africa, noticed a plant with a 
peculiar stool-colored foliage. It was growing like 
other plants from tlio soil, but on examination was 
found to bo practically composed of iron. The leaves, 
although very thin, wore bent with great difficulty, 
* Wo cgnfoss W wogpUoi^m.— JEoTr^X 
