Part 21 (1/2)
”Do look at the Coffee trees?” exclaimed Harry.
The Chief's son was consulted. He had no knowledge of the use of the berry. ”We must take a lot of the berries back with us. This will be a treat at the celebration.” John stopped short, and the boys commenced to laugh. He had almost given away the scheme for the wedding feast. Sutoto did not catch the force of the allusion.
George and Harry were now on the quest for new things in every direction, and the natives aided them in carrying out their every wish.
After they had reached a small stream flowing to the north it became evident that they had pa.s.sed the highest point of the plateau, and were now descending.
[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. 9. Sesame Oil Plant. The Benne._]
One of the natives pointed out a peculiarly-shaped tree, tall, with immense leaves, and at each leaf cl.u.s.ter there was an immense white flower.
”Here is a tree with yellow flowers. We must have some of these as specimens,” said Harry.
The trees were exceedingly tall. ”The men are asking if you want some of the flowers,” said Sutoto.
”By all means,” answered George. Without a moment's hesitation a young athlete made his way to the top, and gathered a dozen branches, which he dropped to the ground.
The beauty of these flowers is difficult to describe. The tree body is perfectly straight, and the limbs grow out uniformly on three sides, the leaves being very rough.
”This is a species which belongs to the Indicus family,” remarked John, as he cut off one of the leaves. ”It would be a good tree for carpenters to raise.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. 10. Flower of Indica Tree._]
”Why so?” asked George.
”You see it is just like sand-paper.”
”Well, that is something to know. But will it really smooth down wood?”
”It is frequently used for that purpose, and you might take some along and try it.”
At intervals John was observed taking up bits of soil, which he carefully wrapped up and deposited in one of the receptacles.
”I am curious to know what you are taking dirt for?” said Harry.
”I should have told you that a knowledge of the nature of the soil is one of the things that is very important to the agriculturist. Many men have made failures because they planted things which the earth was not adapted to grow.”
”It has always been a wonder to me why things really do grow up out of the dirt,” said Harry.
”That is not difficult to understand, if you will consider that the ground contains food, and that a plant can grow only where it can get the right kind. Then, there may be plenty of food but not the kind it can digest.”
”Well, that is news to me. Do plants digest food?”
”Yes, just the same as what we call living animals. The tree is somewhat different from animals, in the particular that it digests its food first and then consumes it afterwards. In this particular certain larvae act the same as trees, that is digest it before they consume it.”
”What do you mean by larva?”
”The early form of certain living organisms, before they are fully developed. Thus, the tadpole is the larva of the frog. A great many insects are bred from what are called grubs, or caterpillars. All these are called larva.”
”What kind of food is found in the earth?”