«SS FAMILY HERBAL. 



L. 



The Gum Lac Tree. Laca arhor. 



TREE of the bigness of our apple tree, fre- 



but not yet known in Europe. 



East 



trunk 



eddish bark. 



The brandies are numerous and tough. Thejhave 

 a smoother rind, of a colour inclining to purple. 

 The leaves are broad^ and of a whitish green on 

 the upper side, and of a silvery white underneath. 

 The flowers are small and vellow. The fruit is of 

 the bigness of a plum, and has in it a large stone: 

 The outer or pulpy part, is of an austere, and not 

 very agreeable taste. 



The gum lac is found upon the branches of this 

 tree, but it is pretended by some, that a sort of flies, 

 deposits it there, and on other substances ; and 

 that it is a kind of wax ; however, there are per- 

 sons of credit, who say they have obtained by cut- 

 ting the branches of this tree, and a like substance 

 from the branches of the several kinds of jujubes, 

 to which this belongs^ in the hot countries. Pro- 

 bably tlie flies get it ofi*this tree, and lodge it for 

 their purposes upon sticks, and other substances a» 

 w^e see it. 



Our druggists have three kinds of this resin, for 

 it is ill called a gum. The one they call stick lac, 



brought in round sticks; the other 



d tlie other* shell lac. 



seed 



ofth 



ch is thin and transparent, and has been melted 



made 



rt 



alteration more than the colourinsr it^ which is 

 one by means of cinnabar or coarser materials. 

 Taken inwardly, gum lac is good against obstruc- 

 tions of the liver : it operates by urine and sweaty 



