178 Dr. B. Babing'ton on a Vegetable Substa?ice 



of commerce, and therefore seem to entitle it to the notice of our 

 countrymen. The product to which I refer is a concrete in- 

 flammable, partaking of the nature of wax and oil, which, from 

 its appearance, may not inaptly be termed a tallow. It is in use 

 only in the town of Mangalore, and is there employed medicinally 

 as an external application for bruises and rheumatic pains, and 

 likewise, when melted with the resin of the same tree already al- 

 luded to, is used as a substitute for tar in paying the bottoms of 

 boats. The method of preparing this material, is simply to boil 

 the fruit in water, when the tallow is soon found to rise to the 

 surface in a melting state, and on cooling, forms a solid cake. 

 Thus obtained, the Piney Tallow (Piney is the native name of the 

 tree which produces it) is generally white, sometimes yellow, 

 greasy to the touch, with some degree of waxiness, almost taste- 

 less, and has a rather agreeable- odour, somewhat resembling 

 common cerate. It melts at a temperature of ninety-seven and a 

 half degrees, and consequently remains solid in the climate of In- 

 dia, in which respect it differs from palm or cocoa-nut oil; 

 wrapped up in folds of blotting paper, and submitted to strong 

 pressure, scarcely sufficient oil, or elain as it is termed by M. 

 Braconnot, is expressed to imbue the inmost fold. Its tenacity 

 and solidity are such, that when cast into a rounded foi*m of 

 nine pounds' weiglit, (in which state the specimen I possess was 

 sent from India,) the force of two strong men was not sufficient to 

 cut it asunder with a fine iron wire, and even with a saw there 

 was considerable difficult)'' in effecting a division. Thus exposed 

 to view, or still more obviously when a fresh fracture is made, it 

 exhibits a crystalline structure, in small aggregated spheres, 

 composed of radii emanating from a centre, not unlike the form 

 of Wavellite. I learn that animal tallow, when melted into 

 large casks and thus slowly cooled, assumes a somewhat similar 

 appearance. 



The concrete state of this inflammable, has probably been the 

 cause why it has not become more generally known, even to the 

 natives of those parts where the tree is indigenous, for this cir- 

 cumstance would oppose its being applied to the purpose of giving 



