400 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



become crowded, cut out enough branches to let light and air into the 



center ; if grown one side, remove the branches needed to restore the 



balance. If large wounds are made, smooth the surface and paint 



them over with some dark-colored paint American Agriculturist for 



January. 



Among peculiar products may be classed vegetable milk, and 

 among interesting vegetables, the various cow-trees. It is much to be 

 regretted that the attention of strict vegetarians has not been called to 

 the possibility of excluding animal milk from their dietaries, for had 

 their attention been seriously called to the cow-trees, we would have 

 had more information to offer than this which we have been able to 

 collect from our reading. We have noted eight species of plants which 

 furnish an edible milky sap, belonging to eight genera and seven natural 

 orders. 



Brosimum galactodendron (Urticacere). In 1633, Laet, in his descrip- 

 tio indiarum occidentalim, lib. 18, says that in Venezuela there are trees 

 which give out a liquid which coagulates like cheese, and which is 

 eaten at meals. This tree, peculiar to Venezuela, was observed by 

 Humboldt, who says that the vegetable milk of the palo de raca [Ga- 

 lactodendron utile, H. B. et K.] has an agreeable taste and an aromatic 

 smell. At Caucagua the natives call the tree arbol del leche, milk tree. 

 The further account is quite pastoral. "On the barren flank of a rock 

 grows a tree with coriacious and dry leaves. Its large woody roots 

 can scarcely penetrate into the stone. For several months of the year 

 not a single shower moistens its foliage. Its branches appear dead and 

 dried ; but when the trunk is pierced there flows from it a sweet and 

 nourishing milk. It is at the rising of the sun that this vegetable foun- 

 tain is most abundant. The negroes and natives are then seen hasten- 

 ing from all quarters, furnished with large bowls to receive the milk, 

 which grows yellow and thickens at its surface. Some empty their 

 bowls under the tree itself; others carry the juice home to their chil- 

 dren." Samples of this milk analyzed by Bousingault showed it to 

 contain: Water, 58.0; wax, etc., 35.2; sugar, etc., 2.8; casein, 1.7; 

 alkaline earths, alkalis, phosphate 0.5; undetermined 1.8 per cent. 

 Seeds were germinated at Kew Gardens, England, in 1881, and plants 

 sent in 1882 to Australia, India, Feejee Islands, Java, Singapore and 

 Ceylon. 



Clusia galactodendron (Guttiferrc). This is another of the palo de 

 raca or cow-trees of Venezuela. The milk is said to be used freely by 

 all, especially by children, although it has an astringent taste. It is 

 said that one tree of this species will yield a quart in an hour. 



