THE BANYAN TREE. •
THERE is one plant in the world that can be said to never stop growing, and that is the Banyan (or Banian) tree. This tree grows in India.
In the picture it appears somewhat as though its branches were propped up with poles. But by looking a little closer you will readily see how it grows. Every branch of the tree sends little shoots downward, which take root as soon as they touch the ground, and in their turn, send out other branches to root in the same way. One tree has been found to have as many as three hundred fifty stems of the size of our large oaks, and more than three thousand smaller ones. This tree covers so large a portion of ground that seven thousand men would be able to find shelter beneath its immense roof! The banyan tree is a specie of the fig-tree, the fruit being about the size of the cherry, and of a scarlet color. A certain writer in describing the wild monkeys of India, tells how well they like to live in the branches of the banyan. He says-
"There are a great many wild monkeys in India. In some parts of the country, they live among the mountains, in the ravines and gorges, and seem afraid of people; but, in other parts of the country, they seem quite tame, and live in the trees that grow along the sides of the roads. It is so in Southern India, where almost all the great roads of travel have splendid large banyan trees growing on either side of them, whose branches meet overhead, and form miles of archway most delightful to travel under in that hot country. These trees swarm with monkeys swinging on the branches, chattering, shrieking, and cutting up all conceivable antics. It is funny to watch the little young ones. They jump up on to their mother's back, and cling hold of her, while she leaps from bough to bough, or else they clasp hold of her waist underneath with their hands and feet, swinging them-selves as if in a hammock, utterly regardless of what their mother's movements may be; or some-times, when they see a tail swinging above them, the temptation is too great, and they catch hold of it, and swing. Baby monkeys seem really to be the jolliest creatures alive. Monkeys live mostly on fruit. These fine, large banyan trees bear little scarlet figs, which are not fit for man to eat, though during the awful famine of 1877 many a poor child was thankful enough to get them; but the monkeys think they are very nice."
