The palm tree . ^ht ialntDnt^. {BorassusJlahelliformis.—Li^ii{jE.\i^.) jHIS magnificent palm is said by Sir Wil-liam Jones to be justly considered theking of its order, called by the Hindus,grass-trees. With us, palms properly distinguished from grasses, form a separate family. The Palmyra, or Tala, is a sacred tree in the East. It is dedicated to one of the Hindu gods, and is looked upon as the Kalpa tree, or Tree of Life of their paradise. In Ceylon, where it is most especially loved andhonoured, an ancient Tamil poem, Tala Vilasam,composed in honour of it, is still preserved. Itseight hundr
The palm tree . ^ht ialntDnt^. {BorassusJlahelliformis.—Li^ii{jE.\i^.) jHIS magnificent palm is said by Sir Wil-liam Jones to be justly considered theking of its order, called by the Hindus,grass-trees. With us, palms properly distinguished from grasses, form a separate family. The Palmyra, or Tala, is a sacred tree in the East. It is dedicated to one of the Hindu gods, and is looked upon as the Kalpa tree, or Tree of Life of their paradise. In Ceylon, where it is most especially loved andhonoured, an ancient Tamil poem, Tala Vilasam,composed in honour of it, is still preserved. Itseight hundred and one uses are there enumerated,and an account given of its supposed creation sepa-rately from all other trees, or rather of its beingtransplanted from heaven to earth, as an especial giftof their gods. According to this tradition,* the world, as origi- * See a complete history of the Palmyra, by William Ferguson, Colombo. 9G THE PALMYP^A. nally created by Bralima, was found insufficient forthe wants of man. One substan
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, bookidpalmtree00mo, bookyear1864
