204 UPAS ANT1AR. 



family of Urticfe. Its flowers grow in catkins, appearing 

 about the month of June. Its leaves are of a pale green, are 

 covered with rough short hairs, often curled, and dropping 

 off before the time of flowering, and not re-appearing until 

 the fall of the flowers. The wood is white, the bark smooth 

 and whitish; in old trees, the cortex (or outer bark) is more 

 than an inch thick. 



HENRIETTA. 



I suppose that the tree grows in desert plains'? 



MRS. F. 



On the contrary, it is only met with in the thickest forests. 

 Dr. Horsfield states, that the largest which he saw, was so 

 completely environed by the trees and shrubs of the forest, 

 that it was with difficulty he could approach it. Vines and 

 other shrubs were adhering to the trunk, and ascending to 

 nearly half its height, while birds and lizards perched upon 

 its branches, and ran up and down the tree with impunity. 

 The juice, which in the young branches is white, and in 

 the trunk yellowish, is very viscous, and is bitter to the taste; 

 in consistence it much resembles milk, and flows abundantly 

 if an incision be made in the cortex so that, in a short time, 

 a cupful may be collected. 



HENRIETTA. 



Is there any danger in procuring it 1 ? 



Yes; to persons of delicate health, whose constitutions 

 render them susceptible of absorbing the effluvia, its exha- 

 lations are undoubtedly hurtful, while others feel little or no 

 ill effects from it. The tree may be approached or ascended 

 with safety, unless it be either largely wounded or cut down, 

 when, a considerable portion of the juice being disengaged, 

 it causes cutaneous eruptions and inflammation, as the natives 

 are well aware, they being very unwilling to assist in col- 

 lecting it. A Javanese whom M. Leschenault sent up for 

 the purpose of gathering some of the flowering branches, was 



