Oct. I, xSS6.j 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



265 



One of tVie first writers on this substance wa-i 

 Professor Bleekrod, who commuaicated some iufonn- 

 ation as to ihe plant and its product to the Society 

 of Arts, in 1857.* He also described and named the 

 plant as Sapota MuUeri. In 1860 Mr. Walker f 

 communicated samples, &c., received by him from Dr. 

 Van Hoist, of Berbiee, to the same Society; and in 

 1864 Sir William Holmes also drew attention to the 

 same subject.} 



The tree is a large one, with a trunk of about 6 

 feet in diameter, and furnishing a wood much sought 

 after as a building material. The Patch name, 

 Paardenoleesch, is given on account of the wood being 

 of the colour and having the appearance of hoi-.se- 

 flesh. The bark is thick and rough, and the fruit is 

 of the size of a coffee berry, sweet, like a plum, and 

 with a hard white kernal, which yields an oil bitter 

 in taste. The leaves are glossy, oval, and acuminated. 

 The milk is drunk by the natives, and when diluted 

 with water, used as cow's milk. The trees grow in 

 groups, and in alluvial soil. 



The "Balata" gum is of a character somewhat 

 between caoutchouc and gutta-percha, combining in 

 some degree the elasticity of the one with the ductility 

 of the other, freely softening and becoming plastic, 

 and easily moulded under the intluenee of hot water. 



What small parcels were sent to this country met 

 with a ready sale, and were remarkably free from 

 adulteration. But, unfortunately, through the difficulty 

 of collection, the undertaking being so dangerous and 

 unhealthy, the supply of this excellent and most 

 desirable article has fallen off. 



Balata is collected by making incisions in the bark 

 about 7 feet from the ground, and a ring of clay 

 placed round the tree to catch the milk as it exudes. 

 The yield is said to be in profusion, especially at 

 the time of the full moon— a statement with regard 

 to milky juices which is adhered to by natives in all 

 parts of the world — and the operation can be repeated 

 every 'two months in the rainy season. It takes six 

 hours to bring about coalescene by simple atmospheric 

 influe ce, but very quickly by boiling in water. A 

 lar;.e tree is said to yield as much as 45 lb. of 

 dry gum.§ 



' II.— INDIAN SOURCES OF SUPPLY. 



PAUCHONTEE, OR IXDIAN OUTTA TREE. 



Dkhopsis elliptica, Benthaji. 



Natural Order — Sapotaccm. 



SykOntms. — Ba=is'ia eUipfica, Dalzell ; Isonandro/tcum- 

 hujM, Lindley.ll 



VERNACUL.4.R Names. — Indian Gutta Tree ; Pauchon- 

 tee, Pauchoontee or Pashonti ; Pauley or Pali 

 Tree. 



Geographical Distribution. — Wynaad ; Ooorg; Tra- 

 vaneore ; Anamally and Neilgherry Hills ; Sholah 

 Forest ; Cochin ; Sichar ; and according to General 

 Cullen, "appears to be common in all the forest tracts 

 at all within the influence of the south-west rains." 



This ti'ec, which is now placed in the same c/em/.-; 

 as the true gutta-percha, is a large one, from 80 to 

 100 feet high, was first met with by Mr. Dalzell in 

 North Oanara, near the falls of Goirsuppah, in 1843. 

 Since that date. General Cullen and Dr. Hugh Cleghorn 

 have used every exertion to bring the substance 

 prominently forward. The gum is obtained by tapping, 

 a pound and a half being obtained from one tree by 

 five or six incisions, a large tree yielding as much 

 as 20 to 40 lb. of sap. Many experiments have been 

 made with specimens of the raw milk, i.e., milk simply 

 dried after taken from the tree. The result of these 

 experiments have shown that for telegraphic purposes 

 it is wanting in some essential qualities, but it has 

 been recommended as a sub-aqueous cement or glue. 

 AVhen dissolved in ordinary gutta-percha solvents, it, 

 after the evaporation of the solvent, rf»mai-s for imne 



•• Jour. Soc. Arts. London, Oct. 8, lb57. 

 r Ih. Aug. 24, 18t)0. 

 i Ih. March 4th, 1864. 

 * Trinidad Chronic'e, September 2, 1873. 

 II Under this name, Dr. Hugh Oleghorn wrote a 

 very valuable report in 1858, 



time soft aud vi.scivl, and partakes somewhat of the 

 characteristics of birdlime. When cold it is hard aud 

 brittle. Without wishing in the slightest degree to 

 throw doubt or discretlit on the many and valuable 

 experiments made, I would suggest that good samples 

 be collected. I have not the slightest doubt, from 

 the scientific aspect of the case, as well as from 

 practical experiene and experiments at home and 

 abroad, that many a parcel of what would other- 

 wise be good gutta-percha is spoilt through not l>eing 

 wel/ hoVed immcddateii/ after collection from the tree. 

 At present, this is the only way in which I can see 

 a possibility of ascertaining whether this product 

 can be utilised, and 1 have the more liope that it 

 can, from the fact that its structural character has 

 led the plant to be placed in the same genus as the 

 gutta-percha tree : structural afhaity being a wonder- 

 fully safe index in numerous instances to chemical 

 afhnity also. There are in India various species of 

 Ismiandrce and other closely allied sapotaceous yenera, 

 but I have foimd no mention nor heard of their yield- 

 ing any milky juices likely to prove of commercial 

 value. It would" be well if experiments were tried 

 with the products of these trees. 



Cattimandu and other Euphokbiu-m Gums. 



Eapliothia cattimandoo, and other .species. 



Natural Order — Eaphorhiacere. 



Fjiphorbia cattimandoo, of W. Elliot, is found in 

 Vizigapatam, and is variously known under the 

 vernacular names of (Jattimaudoo. Oatemandoo, or 

 Kattimundoo. 



The product of this tree was first brought to notice 

 by the Hon. W. Elliot, and a prize medal was 

 awarded for the substance by the jurors of the 

 Exhibition of IJs.'il. This Euphorbia grows to the size 

 of a shrub or small tree, and the milk flows out 

 freely when a branch is cut. The natives use the 

 milk as a cement to fasten knives in handles &c. 

 Under the influence of heat it becomes soft and 

 visoi 1, and when dry it becomes very brittle. The same 

 remarks as to the probable utility of " Pauchontee." 

 apply also to this and following siibstances, although 

 in a somewhat litnited degree. 



Eiipliorbia tinica/'i, of Linnreus, known vernacularly 

 as the Milk hedge or Indian tree spurge, tirucalli 

 and the Lunka ?ij, is found in the Coromandel, 

 Malabar, Bengal, aud is, in fact, a very common 

 plant in various parts of India. 



This succulent unarmed plant often attains a height 

 of 20 feet, and its inspissated milk is used for various 

 purposes, chiefly medicinal, in India, and has been 

 recommended as a substitute for gutta-percha; but 

 like Gum Euphorbium, it has a very acrid character, 

 and the collection of it is a very dangerous operation 

 to the eyes.' When dry it becomes very brittle, but 

 when warmed in water has a certain amount oi 

 plasticity. 



Alstonia or Pala Gum. 



Alastonia sclio/aris, RorPrt Brow\. 

 Natural Order — Apoci/aarecP. 

 Synonyms. — Alxtonia nhandrifolia; Loddidr/e.' Kcliitrs 

 scholari.'t, Linn^us. 



Vernacular Names.— Mookum pala ; Pala ; Ohatinn ; 

 Eerellay-palay ; Ezhilaip-palai ; Bdakulapala ; Edakula- 

 tariti ; Edakula-ponna. 



GEOaRAPHiCAL DISTRIBUTION. — Travancore, Coro- 

 mandel, Assam, and Ceylon. 



This tree attains a height of 50 feet, and its wood 

 and bark are much valued in India for their medi- 

 cinal qualities. The tree yields an abundant milky 

 juice, which was recommended as a substitute for 

 guttii-percha. amongst others, by Mr. Ondaartjee, 

 who brought the substance before the notice of the 

 Society of Arts in 1864.* It is stated to readily 

 soften in hot water, take impressions read 113, ;ii\I| 

 to retain these impressions when cold. 1 have oiUv 

 had very small .spe.^imeus in my possession, so am 

 unable to form any decided opinion. Good specimens 

 of this and other like substances would be acceptable, 



* Jour. Soc. Arts, London, vol. xii. 39., Feb., 1864, 



