174 "USEFULNESS OP TREES. 



Pines and firs grow to a great length, and are used 

 for the masts of ships and for building. Turpen- 

 tine, rosin, pitch, and tar are procured from this 

 species of tree. 



The largest and most magnificent trees are, 

 however, found in hot countries. Amongst these, 

 various kinds of palms afford the noblest speci- 

 mens of the vegetable kingdom. They attain a 

 vast height, the palma real of Cuba often being 

 seen one hundred and sixty feet high. They have 

 tall, slender stems, without branches, with a crown 

 of immense leaves springing from the very top, 

 and hanging down in the lightest and most grace- 

 ful manner. These leaves are twelve or fifteen 

 feet long, and have at their root bunches of the 

 most brilliant blossoms. 



Most of the palms bear a fruit, which supplies 

 the people where they grow with the greatest part 

 of their food. The date palm and the cocoa nut 

 palm are amongst the most useful, and their fruit 

 is also made an article of commerce. The baobab, 

 or monkey-bread tree, is the largest vegetable 

 known. This tree has a short stem, but is of 

 amazing thickness, and from this it sends out 

 branches till it looks like a forest in itself: its 

 fruit is highly valuable, being used both as food 

 and medicine. 



In South America a tree has been lately disco- 

 vered which yields a juice just like milk in appear- 

 ance, and which forms a nourishing drink : hence 

 it has been called, Palo di vaca, the cow-tree, or 



