That singular production of nature called the _masseranduba_, or
milk-tree, is found in the tropical regions of South America, and is
thus described by Wallace, in his “Travels on the Amazon.” Speaking of
the various interesting objects of the journey he was making, he says:
“What most interested us, however, were several large logs of the
_masseranduba_, or milk-tree. On our way through the forest, we had seen
some trunks much notched by persons who had been extracting the milk. It
is one of the noblest trees of the forest, rising with a straight stem
to an enormous hight. The timber is very hard, fine-grained, and
durable, and is valuable for works which are much exposed to the
weather. The fruit is eatable and very good, the size of a small apple,
and full of a rich and very juicy pulp. But strangest of all is the
vegetable milk, which exudes in abundance when the bark is cut. It has
about the consistence of thick cream, and, but for a very slight
peculiar taste, could scarcely be distinguished from the genuine product
of the cow. Mr. Leavens ordered a man to tap some logs that had lain
nearly a month in the yard. He cut several notches in the bark with an
ax, and in a minute the rich sap was running out in great quantities. It
was collected in a basin, diluted with water, strained, and brought up
at tea-time, and at breakfast next morning. The peculiar flavor of the
milk seemed rather to improve the quality of the tea, and gave it as
good a color as rich cream. In coffee it is equally good. Mr. Leavens
informed us that he had made a custard of it, and that, though it had a
curious dark color, it was very well tasted. The milk is used for glue,
and is said to be as durable as that made use of by carpenters. As a
specimen of its capabilities in this line, Mr. Leavens showed us a
violin he had made, the belly-board of which, formed of two pieces, he
had glued together with it applied fresh from the tree, without any
preparation. It had been done two years. The instrument had been in
constant use; and the joint was now perfectly good and sound throughout
its whole length. As the milk hardens by exposure to air, it becomes a
very tough, slightly elastic substance, much resembling gutta percha;
but not having the property of being softened by hot water, it is not
likely to become so extensively useful as that article.”