Glimpses of the animate world; or, Science and literature of natural history, for school and home . ufficient moisture, they germinate andsend rootlets downward to the earth, where they secure apermanent foothold. If the long root reaches down fromthe top of a tree, it speedily enlarges, and in a short time de-stroys the original stalk which gave it life and nourishment. 2. The banyan rarely attains a great height, from sixtyto a hundred feet being the maximum. During its first hun-dred years it behaves very much like other trees, develop-ing a sturdy trunk, and an immense, dome-like head spre
Glimpses of the animate world; or, Science and literature of natural history, for school and home . ufficient moisture, they germinate andsend rootlets downward to the earth, where they secure apermanent foothold. If the long root reaches down fromthe top of a tree, it speedily enlarges, and in a short time de-stroys the original stalk which gave it life and nourishment. 2. The banyan rarely attains a great height, from sixtyto a hundred feet being the maximum. During its first hun-dred years it behaves very much like other trees, develop-ing a sturdy trunk, and an immense, dome-like head spread-ing far out on all sides. Its leaves are smooth and glossy, 46 NATURAL HISTORY READER. and of a bright green. It* foliage is so dense as to afford acooling shade and effectually prevent the growth of under-brush. It produces an abundance of mild, insipid, tig-likefruit, which is used both for food and for medicinal At the end of the first century of its life the banyanbegins to exhibit its eccentric propensities. Its arms havegrown so long as to be no longer capable of supporting. Banyan-Tn themselves, and they bend downward until their ends restupon the earth. Now, the little twigs, which have hithertobeen contented with producing leaves, send forth rootletswhich find lodgment in the ground ; the sap, changing itsdirection ami flowing upward, converting the small stemsinto trunks, and affording an effectual support to the over-weighted branches. The great horizontal masses are now STRANGE PLANTS AND THEIR WA YS. 47 supported at both extremities, as a bridge by its main limbs reach gigantic size, and send out lateralbranches, which, in turn, take root and form new sup-ports. These new trunks often rival or surpass the par-ent stem, and this process continues for ages, until thetree covers acres of ground, and presents the appearanceof a marvelous colonnade of stems supporting numberlessliving rafters, and all covered with a dense canopy of per-ennial gr
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booky
