Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-06-05
Ohe family Circle.
Curious and Wonderful Trees.

Curious and Wonderful Trees.
AS have been telling you lately about
remarkable and useful trees, children,
would you like to hear something to-day
about some others which are very curiou,
and wonderful, also found in the tropics -
asked Aunt Mary, looking up IRON her
netting.
Yes, indeed, would I, fir one, Aunt
Mary" quickly cried Harry, turning from
the window where he had been istIess' y
IoIiing. watching the fallen snow-fake~,
and seating himself at the table opposite
his aunt. in an attitude Of attention.
o, that will be 50 nice and can
listen and sew too, said Lizzie, laying the
square she had Just finished on the Pile OF
patch work before her, and taking from
her basket pieces for new one.
d" | wonder which j. the most curiou,
tree in all the world said AIRY
That | would not undertake to say,
replied Aunt Mary but to me the COW
tree, or milk tree, as 1T Is also called Is
one Of the most curious and interesting
Cow tree! " exclaimed Harry. Is
there really such tree
Why DO they call it So. cause IL looks
ike a COW " asked Lizzie, not waiting for
Aunt Mary to reply to Harry's question
There is really such tree ana 50
called because it gives milk, said Aunt
Mary, answering both questions at once.
% do not wonder at your surprise. 1t
does seem strange to think of a tree
yielding milk
Milking a tree, how funny said
Lizzie, laughing heartily at the idea
And what kind Of milk does it give 50
Harry asked.
g." Somewhat thicker. richer, and more
yellow than cows milk, but 50 much ike
it that you would not know Indifference. -"
How DO they get it," Harry asked.
Merely by cutting "a hole In the bark
and allowing 1t to run. Aunt Mary an
,werej
An easy way Of milking, said Harry.
:. | wish Mrs. OLeary bad had a COW
tree, for the tree would not kicked over
her lamp and set fire to all those fine houses
in Chicago, and burned up 50 many people, e
Lizzie remarked.
" Yes, it would have been fortunate Tor
that city if she had had either a COW tree
or more sense than to have used kerosene
lamp, said Aunt Mary, as she remembered
the dreadful amount Of suffering caused
by a single careless act.
e. | wonder if they get cream from the
milk, said Harry, more interested Just
then in the tree than in the terrible con-
hagration.
e Yes, after standing awhile in the open
air, a rich cream, like that on COWS milk
rises to the top. Travellers say that, taken
in coffee, you can not discover any q tfer-
euce between it and cow milk but when
drana cold. it leaves a slightly oily taste ia
the mouth.
81 suppose they can make butter and
cheese OF 1t, then, said Harry
" Yes, they make both, Aunt Mary
replied
- Is it pretty tree, Ike some you have
told Us about asked Harry.
" 1t can not be, from the description |
have read Of it, as found in Caracas, Sout
America. 1t grows on rocky ground, its
roots with difficulty penetrating the earth.
Its leaves are dry, and resemble bark.
During many mouths of the year not a
appear dead and wthered but when the
trunk Is pierced, sweet, nourishing milk
flows forth. The flow Of the liquid is
most abundant at sunrise. At that hour
the natives come from all directions TO the
COW tree to get their supply for the day. -
There IS another very remarkable tree.
found only in Madagascar, which is de-
servedly q favorite with travellers, and on
that cunt it Is called the traveller 5
tree"
Its Of palm tree. Its leaves
are large and white, and grow, like those
Of all palm trees, in a bunch at the top.
These leaves curl backward toward the
trunk, and thus form cavities or cups
which contain supply Of pure and re-
freshing water for the tired, thirsty tIavel-
er. 1t grows in places where there is no
water -
Why, how can the water get into the
cavities, then " interrupted Harry.
1t IS secreted or formed by the tree
itself" replied Aunt Mary.
-. | don't wonder it is a favorite with
travellers" said Harry, for it must be
dreadful to journey under hot sun in a
dry country without water, and they must
be very glad to find it all ready for them. :"
q have read too, of a weeping tree, -
continued Aunt Mary, " seen in one of the
Canary islands.
Dear me - exclaimed Lizzie. 4" would
not like to see a tree crying"
Perhaps it is called so because its
leaves droop and look sad, like the weeping
willow at the brook Harry suggested
NO." said Aunt Mary; at is so
called because drops of water actually
fall from its foliage and so abundantly as
to make quite shower under the tree.
have seen picture of it. 1t was a large,
handsome tree, in the middle of pond,
and some natives were standing in the
pool beneath it, holding Jars to catch the
water as it fell"
Milk and water from tree l never
heard of such things before said Harry.
- Yet you have often seen the sap run
from our sugar maple trees"
90, yes; but then you know that has
to be boiled down before it makes molasses
or sugar; but the milk and the water in
these trees is all ready to be used.
What fun we have in the Spring in
the sugar camp" said Lizzie " and how
nice maple candy is "
"Sugar trees are very valuable, " said
Aunt Mary. They furnish much of the
sugar used for domestic purposes in our