14 The Coic-Tree of Souih America. — Singing. [Jan. 



the barren flank of a rock grows a tree with coriaceous 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 fo- 

 liage. 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 fountain is most abundant. 

 The negroes and natives are then seen hastening from all quarters, 

 furnished with large bowls to receive the milk, which grows yellow, 

 and thickens at its surface. Some empty their bowls before they 

 leave the tree, others carry the juice home to their children." 



Singing. — The American physician, Dr. Rush, thus speaks of the 

 utility of singing, not only as an accomplishment, but as a corrective 

 of the too common tendency to pulmonic complains. " Vocal music," 

 says this celebrated writer, " should never be neglected in the educa- 

 tion of a young lady. Besides preparing her to join in that part of 

 public worship which consists in psalmody, it will enable her to 

 soothe the cares of domestic life ; and the sorrows that will some- 

 times intrude into her own bosom, may all be relieved by a song, 

 when sound and sentiment unite to act upon the mind. I here in- 

 troduce a fact which has been suggested to me by my profession, and 

 that is that the exercise of the organs of the breast, by singing, 

 contributes very much to defend them from those diseases to which 

 the climate and other causes expose them. The Germans are seldom 

 afflicted with consumptions ; nor have I ever known but one instance 

 of spitting blood among them. This, I believe, is in part occasioned 

 by the strength which their lungs acquire by exercising them in 

 vocal music, for this constitutes an essential branch of their educa- 

 tion. The music master of our academy has furnished me with an 

 observation still more in favor of this opinion. He informed me 

 that he had known several instances of persons, who were strongly 

 disposed to consumption, who were restoi'cd to health by the exer- 

 cise of their lungs in singing." 



