Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 October 1884 — Some Remarkable Trees. [ARTICLE]

Some Remarkable Trees.

The “Baobab Tree” is the most wonderful vegetable product of South Africa. Dr. Livingstone described it as “a great baby-looking bujlb,” which reaches an enormous and an astonishing age. It appears indeed as if nothing could kill it. The natives make a strong cord from the fibers contained in the bark. The whole of the trunk, as far as they can reach, is consequently barked, which. With any other tree, would cause its death; but no external injury, not even fire, can destroy this,tree from without; nor can any injury be done from within, as it is quite common to find the tree hollow. Dr. Livingstone himself spent the night in one, which was large enough to hold twenty men. Even cutting down does not exterminate it, and it continues to grow in length after it is lying on the ground. “The Tree of the Thousand Images,” seen by Father Hue in his journey to Thibet, has its leaves and bark covered with well-defined characters of the Thibetan alphabet. It appeared to MM. Hue and Gabettobe of great age, and is said by the inhabitants of the country to be the only one of its kind known"there. According to the account given by these travelers, the letters would appear to be formed of the veins of the leaves. The resemblance to Thibetan characters led them to suspect fraud; but, after repeated observa? tions, they came to the conclusion that no fraud existed. On the Island of Ceylon is a singular tree called “Eve’s Apple-Tree.” The flower of this extraordinary production is said to emit a fine scent. The color of the fruit, which hangs from, the branches in a very peculiar and striking manner, is very beautiful, being orange on the ou side, and a deep crimson within; the fruit itself presenting the appearance of having had a piece bitten out of it. This circumstance, together with the fact of its being a deadly. poison, led the Mohammedans, on their first discovery of Ceylon —which they assigned as the site of Paradise —to represent it as the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden; for, though most tempting in appearance, it had been impressed—such was their id the mark of Eve’s having bitten it, to warn men from meddling with a substance possessing such noxious qualities.