Murillo itself is surrounded by forest land and might be 
termed the village amongst pines, since two of the 
principal trees in its immediate vicinity are the pino 
(J iniipcnis sp.) and cbaqiiero {Podocarpits sp.) ; both trees 
of the conifer family, much valued for their useful timbers. 
One of tire points apparent in journeying up the 
mountain is the enormous resources there are in timber, 
in its wonderful variety of classes ; embracing excellent 
qualities for construction as well as for cabinet and even 
fancy worlc. There are cedars {Ccdrcia spp.) of various 
classes ; coim'iio and coutino crcspo {Aiiiba pcniiilis), the 
latter a very handsome and valuable timber for cabinet 
work, immune to insect attacks and the former used for 
sleepers on the Medellin railway ; nogul or walnut 
(Ccdrcia nopal) ; roblc, or oak (Oucrcns sp.), one variety 
yields a beautifully marked timber ; pino (Jiinipcrns sp.) ; 
(nnclie) and ticks, &c., applied externally ; and for skin 
affections taken internally in the form of pills. The fat 
is sold in the local markets at about forty cents, per pound. 
Tlie trees are said to give two crops of seeds a year, and 
from one crop of a mature healthy tree about lifteen 
pounds of the fat can be extracted ; small trees yield very 
much less. As this product is very widely ajiplied in this 
country as a domestic remedy for cattle parasites, and has 
a considerable reputation, it seems that its medicinal value 
should be scientilically investigated. I therefore sent 
samples of the nuts and butter to the United States and 
to England for technical examination and investigation. 
Should the fat prove to have the medicinal properties 
attributed to it, it is not unlikely that it may form a new 
article of export for the manufacture of an insecticide or 
other medicinal preparation. 
Fig. I. — The Snow-covered Mount Ruiz. 
cliaqncro (Podocarpns sp.) ; arcnillo., qnininld, niarlo, laurel, 
aceilinw, fresno, agnacalillo, vilivip cliilco, cacao, dioinaie, 
otobo, graniso, &x., &x. 
Otobo. 
This tree is a very interesting one, not so much for the 
value of its timber, which is rather soft and used princi- 
pally for ceiling-boards, but for its seeds, from which a 
medicinal butter or fat is extracted. The tree is known 
botanically as Myrislica oloba, and it belongs to the same 
genus as the nutmeg of commerce. The tree is tall, with 
outspreading horizontal branches collected towards the 
top of the tree ; it resembles in habit the nutmeg tree ; 
and also the “ false nutmeg” of Central Africa, Pycnanllins 
Schweinfurlhii. The seeds are a little larger than those of 
the true nutmeg and round in shape ; like the nutmeg it is 
surrounded by a mace, though of paler colour. From the 
seeds is extracted the butter or fat by boiling and 
pressing. This is much prized as a remedy for wdrbles 
The Ascent up. the Snow-Covered Mountains of 
Ruiz. 
From Murillo, on a clear day, one gets an excellent 
view of the snow-covered mountains of Ruiz, and from 
this village we decided to make our ascent to the glaciers. 
We therefore set out on October 23rd, accompanied by 
Don Roberto Londoho and Don Bernardo Izquierdo, the 
former being our vaqnenno,^ having made the excursion 
before. Leaving the ” village of pines ” behind us, we 
commenced the ascent. We first passed through forest- 
clad lands, broken only by the clearings that have been 
made for pi itato fields and grazing lands. The standing 
stumps of the trees, however, indicate that the conversion 
of forest lands to potato lields and pastures is a work that 
has been accomplished in recent years. These forests are 
heavily stocked with trees, and the labour necessary to 
‘ Guide. 
4 
