ee ee a ee 
its acidity. It contains a peculiar substance which Bous- 
sINGAULT and Mariano de Rivero considered as fibrous ; but 
I found its characters very similar to those of cork. When 
the milk of the Cow Tree is evaporated to dryness by a - 
gentle heat, and the dry residue digested in alcohol, a sub- 
stance is dissolved which constitutes by far the most 
abundant ingredient in the milk. When the alcoholic 
solution cools, it becomes white and opaque, and deposits 
abundance of snow-white flakes. These if collected on 
a filter and dried, constitute galactine. The ultimate 
analysis of this is given at p. 1045 of the same work, to 
which I must refer for a more copious account of the che- 
mical properties of the milk of the Cow Tree, as well as to 
Mr. Murray’s pamphlet above quoted. 
Sir Rogert Ker Porrer’s drawing was accompanied by 
well dried specimens of the foliage, and by the following 
interesting particulars in a letter, dated Caracas, June 8, 
1837. ‘I had the pleasure of acknowledging the receipt 
of your letter of August (1836) on the 16th of the following 
November ; but from great occupation in my official busi- 
ness, I had not a single day to spare that might enable me 
to satisfy yourself, and two or three other lovers of botany, 
relative to the Milk Tree. I have, however, made an 
excursion into the mountains, some fifty miles distant from 
this city, (about three leagues from the coast,) not far from 
the town of Coriacco, and after extreme pedestrian labour 
up the steep forest-covered face of the mountain, reached 
the spot where the Palo de Vaca grows. I assure you that 
the sight of this extraordinary tree fully repaid me for the 
fatigue and severe wetting I experienced. The close of 
last month was the period of my visit; but, unfortunately, 
it did not prove that either of its flowering or fruit ; how- 
ever, I have sent you a bottle of the milk ; some specimens 
of the leaves (as well preserved as circumstances would 
permit); a piece of the bark, and a sketch copied from 
that which I took at the time. I should think the elevation 
above the level of the sea where this tree grows, cannot be 
less than four thousand feet, and the temperature at eight 
o’clock under its spreading branches was 70° Fahr. The 
forest was so densely thick and untravelled, that the people 
who accompanied us were obliged, at almost every step, to 
cut a way for us through it with their sword-like knives, 
while the excessive steepness and slippery state of the 
mountain rendered our advance both tedious and dan- 
gerous. However, after a couple of toiling days, we _. 
Se reached 
