Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-10-07
COW-TREES.

Cow-TREEs? A likely storyr ex-
claimed BERTHE Lee, who, for a wonder,
was quietly seated in the library with his
Uncle George, intently reading an article
upon the tropical regions in which a
variety of trees were alluded to-among
others the cow-tree.
"Uncle George, isn't this rather tall
talk? ?"
"What do you mean by tall talk, Her
bert?' asked his uncle, looking up from
his book.
"Why, the idea of this fellow max
ing out such a lot of wonderful trees,
from which the natives can help them
selves to everything maginable-even to
milk. [ think that is rather steep brag-
ging."
And l think Master Lee is rather con-
ceited, with his tall talk and steep
bragging,' and somewhat slangy."
Well, but really, Uncle George, is
there such tree as the cow-tree?"
''To be sure there is; and if you will
lay aside your book and not interrupt me
with too many questions will tell you all
can about tn
"Goodie! I'm all attention." exclaimed
Herbert, throwing down his book and
bounding over one or two chairs to seat
himself by his uncle's side.
"Bertie Lee, think you are near kin
to the monkey as Darwin would say
Now, do be quiet while tell you of the
wonderful cow-tree. There are several
varieties belonging to this order, and all
native to tropical regions, which yield
white, blonde, milky juice, so closely re-
sembling milk that the trees are called
milk-trees or cow-trees. In many re-
spects the resemblance between the fluid
yielded by these trees and the milk of
COWS is very close indeed; though, chem
ically considered, the two liquids widely
differ.
1.-The juice of the Brosimum galacto-
dendron, or cow-tree of Venezuela, is said
to have very agreeable taste, somewhat
like that Of sweet cream, with slight
odor of balsam. On being exposed to the
air for some time the cream, consisting of
membranes of strongly animalized sub
stance, rises to the surface"
"Cream, too, of all things But, uncle,
how do they obtain this milk?''
Every much as we do the sap from our
mapletrees, which you know is boiled
down into syrup and maple sugar. The
milk from the cow-tree is said to flow
more abundantly at early sunrise, when
incisions are made. And at dawn the ma
hves may be seen fastening from all quar-
tiers to collect in bowls the agreeable bev-
erage."
4" Does it keep fresh long?"
No; it sours and becomes putrid on
exposure to the air for any length of
time-though not sooner, imagine, than
our milk would become in such hot eli
mate. As an article Of food it is consid-
cred very nourishing, and during its sea-
son Of most abundant flow the natives
grow visibly fatter''
How tall are the trees ~
They grow to the height of 100 feet or
over, the stem for the first sixty or sew
enty feet being destitute of branches.
1.-The Hya-hya, or cow-tree of British
Guiana, which belongs to the same natu-
raj order as the Penang india-rubber tree,
also gives very wholesome milk, but it
is much thicker than cows milk. The
coW-tree Of Ceylon, Gymnema lactaterum,
yields pleasant milk, which is used for
various purposes in cooking.
The Massarauduba, or c0w-tree of
Para, yields a small quantity Of juice as
thick as cream, but it is too glutinous to
be safe article of drink. 1t has pleas
ant flavor, however and is used in tea and
coffee. After exposure in the air for one
or two days it coagulates, and is then
much like gutta- percha in point Of elias
ITCHY"
Herbert Lee here interrupted his un-
Gle Dy merry fitof laughter.