Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1908-10-10
Commercial Value
! Of Some
/ Mexican Trees.
Characteristics Of the Sap,
} Bark and Fiber Of Many
Observation-Disclosures
tyof Uranium Compounds
..Sa n d Wa YES, Their
Work, and flethods Of
Protection.

..S q u q waves, Ine1f
I? Work, and flethods Of
? Protection.
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In the dense woodlands Of Vera
Cruz there are numerous plants reput.
Cd to possess medicinal virtues, and
others which could be probably util.
ICED for commercial purposes. Ono
tree yields a deep brownish red thick
sap OF a slightly resinous odor. The
process Of extraction Is simple; slight
superficial incisions are made In the
bark. terminating at the foot OF the
tree; a medium.sized leaf or strip OF
palmetto Is inserted underneath the
bark. so as to form gutter into which
the sap drips, and as II overilows 1t
drips into q receptacle placed under.
heath the leaf. When exposed to the
atmosphere, the sap does not appear
to undergo fermentation, but becomes
slightly denser. Small quantities are
exported to Germany. Buyers claim
that It Is employed in the preparation
Of carmine Ink; this Is doubtful. It
may have other and more valuable
uses, which are not divulged. II may
be used In the arts or In the making
Of medicines.
As there Is no regular demand, price
cannot be determined, and samples.
small or large. are paid according to
the time q laborer employs In extract.
Ing the sap. The natives say It IL an
excellent dentifrice and. mouth wash,
healing liberated parts. 1t Is a pow.
erful antiseptic. being employed with
excellent results on fresh or old
wounds; It congeals and checks the
flow Of blood. 1t has been employ.
ed Is an indelible stain; wood treat.
ed with II. when thoroughly dried az.
forwards, does not appear to be affect.
ed by water or diluted acids, the stain
remaining unaltered. On cloth It acts
as perfect dye. acids or alkalies
seeming to have no perceptible effect
on It's color. The foregoing are state.
ments made by persons who have ex-
perimented with this sap, and hence
ought to have weight.
The palo de leche tree Is quite com.
mon In damp or marshy locations; the
sap Is milk white, and about the
same consistency as rich milk; It Is
powerful caustic. Partial or total
blindness may result when this sap
has by accident been injected into
the eyes: the natives claim that a
strong decoction OF the Chile pepper.
II applied In time. will dissolve the
thick Aim which gradually spreads
over the eyes when attacked by this
fluid. II IL averred that few drops
In q glass OF water acts as violent
poison. often proving fatal; II 10 en-
ployed by the natives In diluted form,
which they spread on the surface OF
streams or lakes to stupefy hsh, which
they consume. II properly analysed
this huid might prove valuable; sam.
pies. however, are dimcult to obtain.
40 the native laborer can not be In
duced to approach the tree, Of which
he has the greatest fear. However.
there are some who will take the risk
II they are we'll paid, which. no mat
ter how large. Is but q triAing amount
compared with the danger to which
they imagine they will be exposed.
The honote tree produces Q very
Ane. long fibre (ten to fifteen ieet).
which Is extracted from the inner sur.
face OF the bark. Each tree will pro.
duce from four to Ave pounds OF
fibre. The present system Of procur.
Ing the fibre Is to denude the tree OF
its bark completely, and divide It In
three to Ave.inch strips, which are
cleaned by hand. The result is hne
layer Of hbre-a perfectly united
sheet about the thickness Of medium.
heavy note paper. This layer can.
with care. be separated 80 % to pro.
duce threads OF any desired thickness.
Although the honote hbre has been
known by the natives for long time
and employed by them In the prepare.
tion OF many articles. such as traces.
saddle girths, bagging, ETC., II 10 only
recently that It has been brought to
public notice. So far II has not been
utilized for any well.dehned purpose.
Although the matter has not been
thoroughly investigated, those who
have given this fibre passing atten.
tion claim that machinery does not
exist to extract II satisfactorily. Man.
ufacturers OF decorating machines In.
terested In such matters should In.
vestigate its merits and possibilities
The ojiote Ia q vine from one to
four inches In diameter, growing In
slightly damp and shady locations.
This vine furnishes a white, milky,
gammy Juice, which IL employed as a
cement to unite heather, and the unit
ed parts will hold with great tenacity
when subject to severe tension. A
section of vine about eight feet long
and three inches In diameter has been
chopped into short lengths and allow
ed to drip. producing In this crude
manner about four to Ave ounces OF
the milk. but, as It coagulates rapid
ly, only a small proportion was ex.
tracted. Doubtless q much larger per-
centage could be obtained with scien.
tiAc treatment. SOME say It has tho
properties OF rubber gum. Although
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