PALO DE LECHE.
This tree is called palo de leche, the milky tree, by the Spaniards, because its wood is white as milk, and so soft that it may be cut with a common knife, and is used for small carpenters work.
THE ỸÇAPỸ.
The ỹçapỹ, a large tall tree, is covered with leaves like those of the citron, but smaller, and of a paler green. It is a remarkable circumstance, that when the air is mild, and always in the night, its leaves drop a quantity of water, which moistens the space round about the tree and renders it muddy. The wood of the tree is very soft and flexible, but not moist, on which account it is well calculated for making stirrups. John Verkens of Leipzig, in his account of a journey taken by the Dutch to the East Indies, relates, that in the island of Ferro, one of the Canaries, they found a very large tree which dropped water day and night, every part of the year, and that the inhabitants hung up large pitchers to receive it for their own use, and that of their cattle; fresh water, he says, being incredibly scarce there. If this be true, I suspect that it must be the same tree as that which the Guaranies call ỹçapỹ in Paraguay. They say that this water possesses a medicinal virtue, but of what kind I do not know.
THE TREE OF ANTS.
This is called arbol de hormigas, the tree of ants. It consists of a weak spungy wood. The whole tree is full of holes like a sieve, and being covered with ants, should be avoided by all passers by; for if you do but touch the tree, a host of ants rush out of their lurking-holes, and will cover both you and the tree itself.
THE UMBÙ.
So wide are the boughs and trunk of this tree, that the sun never sees its foot. It affords plenty of shade to fifty persons seated beneath it, and completely defends them against the rain. The linden trees of Europe are mere dwarfs compared with an aged umbù.
THE WILLOW.
The willow, though it covers the islands of the Parana, and the banks of certain rivers, is not to be seen elsewhere throughout a vast extent of country. The wood and leaves of willows, used both medicinally and for other purposes, were often vainly sought by us.