142 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[August i, 1884, 



ferior quality aud is frequently mixed with the gutta eras. 



Taken from Montgomery accordiug to Beauvisage, p. 12 : — 



(xxxiii; Gutta-Girek, Gutta-Tuban, GuttarPercha. — Sara- 

 wak. — All, according to Dr. Montgomery, varieties of one 

 aud the same tree found in Singapore, Johore, Malacca, 

 Coti (S. K. Borneo), and according to the observation of 

 Sir James Brooke in abundance in Sarawak. Beauvisage 

 doubts whether these are actually varieties of Dichopsis Gv.Ua 

 Benth. 



In conclusion I may just mention that according 

 to Professor De Vriese mention is made by Thomas 

 Oxley of seven (? !) varieties of gutta-percha trees, which 

 to the eye all resemble one another, and the difference 

 between which can be told only by the colour of the 

 wood. Of these seven varieties only three produce the 

 true gum. Those which yield the true Gutta-Tuban 

 in Borneo are : — 



1st, the tree with yellow wood ; 



2nd, the tree with reddish wood ; 



3rd, the tree with white wood ; the white yields 

 the best gutta, the 3rd only a gum of inferior quality. 



Gutta Pekcha of Sumatra. 

 (Compare No*. 32-60, 75-112, and 114-115 of the List of 



Hr. Ten Brummeler.) 

 The following particulars are taken from the list drawn 

 up by Hr. Ten Brummeler and belonging to the Buiten- 

 zorg collection : — 



(i) Getah balarn tembago No. 1, Getah beiletn tembago 

 No. 2, Njatoeh balam tembago No. 1, Njatoeh ba/aui tem- 

 bago No. 2, Getah Kajoe Kerang, Getah Njatoeh, Balam 

 Bcntaengan, Njatoeh tielendit, Getah Kajoe balem. — Tanah 

 Datar. — The trees which yield gutta-percha are mostly 

 found in extensive forests in mountainous regions and 

 on sandy soil. They much resemble durian trees, and 

 the leaves those of the mangosteen. The age necessary 

 before the trees are fit for tapping is not known with 

 certainty. Some fix this approximately at 20 years. The 

 gutta is obtained in the following manner. The tree is cut 

 down and then ringed at equal distances of about one 

 heto (about two decimeters). Under each ringed portion 

 some kind of vessel is placed to catch the dripping gutta, 

 which process is terminated in 3 or 4 days. The gutta 

 is then collected, boiled in iron kettles (Kantjah), and in 

 some measure, though very incompletely, purified. The 

 gutta is then allowed to cool, until it can be laid on a 

 plank in long ropes, which are then folded into blocks 

 either with the hand or foot or with a piece of wood. 

 The quantity of gutta obtained from a full-grown tree is 

 reckoned at 3 to 8 gantaugs. The quantity which is ex- 

 ported of each sort per annum cannot be given, as there 

 is not the least check upon it. According to general opin- 

 ion, the production is declining every year, the result un- 

 doubtedly of the injudicious system of gathering the pro- 

 duct. The prices at which the various sorts were sold 

 per pikul of (12J kg. in the sub-division were as follows :- 



Balem tembago (red gutta) 



Kajoe balem ( „ „ ) 



Kajoe kirang (white „ ) 



Kajoe balem bentoengan (red gutta) 



Njatoeh balem tembago 



Njatoe baringiu 



Njatoeh Selendit 

 Planting takes place by seed. 



Mentioned by Teijsmann and Binueudijk (Tijdschijl Nat. 

 1'er., Pt. VI) — 



(ii) Balam tandoek, BaZam tjabe, Balam sonte, Balam troeng. 

 — Palembang. — Balam tandoek is obtained from the plant 

 described by Teijsmann and Binnendijk under the name of 

 Azaola Leerii, which name was afterwards altered by Hass- 

 karl to Kerotophorus Leerii (Ceratophorus Leerii, Cerate- 

 pkorus Leerii). I have already noticed above that the Balam 

 tjabe mentioned here has the same origin. Hr. Van Leer, 

 Health Officer of the 1st class at Palembang, to whom 

 Messrs. Teijsmann and Binnendijk are indebted for the 

 forwarding of the specimens, remarks that the pohon balam 

 is a tree very frequently met with in the ralembang dis- 

 fcrii :1 on high Lands, attaining to a great age and excep- 

 tionally large girth. The bees form nests on the pohon 

 balam, aud on this account the tree is planted and cult- 



ivated more for the wax thau for its gutta-percha, and 

 as with the gathering of the gutta is necessarily count i ted 

 the destruction of the tree the native engages very i i ttle 

 in this occupation, and then only when he thinks that 

 the tree is approaching its end and will therefore pre luce 

 no more wax. The usual native method of collecting aud 

 preparing the gutta-percha consists in cutting the tree com- 

 pletely down, cutting off the crown, and making a number 

 of incisions in the stem and the principal branches, &c. 



(iii) Balam tembaga. — Padaug. — Regarding the gutta of 

 this tree I find nothing recorded by Teijsmann and Bin- 

 nendijk: this is probably the same as No. 77 of the list 

 of Hr. Ten Brummeler ; this- cannot however be decided 

 with certainty without a herbarium examination. 



(iv) Balam. — Palembang. — Under this name Messrs. Teijs- 

 mann aud Binnendijk had two plants which represented 

 two different varieties. Of the gutta nothing was known 

 to them. With which of those mentioned by Hr. Ten 

 Brummeler this balam corresponds cannot be ascertained. 



Plants in the Herbarium of the Public Botanic Garden, 

 collected by Oontroleur Van der Ploeg ■ — 



(v) Getah balam bringin. — Soengei Pagoe and 12 Kottas. — 

 The substance which comes into the market, and which 

 surpasses other sorts of balam, is obtained from the milky 

 sap by boiling. The blossom is white, the fruit is the 

 size of a large pea. 



(vi) Getah balam tembaga. — Soengei Pagoe and 12 Kottas 

 Sap of inferior quality to that of Balam bringin. The 

 blossom of this also is white, the fruit is red and of the 

 size of a small marble. 



(vii) Getah balam laoet. — Soengei Pagoe and 12 Kottas. — 

 The substance of inferior quality aud brittle when it is 

 old. The blossom is of a red color. 



(viii) Getah balam darat or Getah balam pirang. — Soengei 

 Pagoe aud 12 Kottas. — The gutta is not sold iu the market 

 by itself on account of its bad cjuality, but iu most cases 

 is mixed with other sorts of balam and so brought into 

 market. The colour of the blossom is yellow. 



Specimens, herbarium and remarks received from the 

 Oontroleur de Kooij: — 



(ix) Balam pipis. — Soepajang. — Most probably similar to 

 No. 104 of the list of Hi-. Ten Brummeler. As I have 

 already remarked above, this plant is the Ceratophorus 

 Leerii. The tree grows above 2,000 feet above sea-level in 

 humus soil in thick woods and needs shadow and moist ground 

 (not marsh). The age is about a man's lifetime; the blos- 

 soms resemble those of the Tandjong ; the blossoming sea- 

 son occurs generally iu October : the fruits are pear-shaped, 

 green and hard. On the manner of gathering the sap 

 the details given in the list of Hr. Ten Brummeler should 

 be consulted. 



(x) Balam doerian. — Soepajang.— The plant mentioned 

 here is most probably the same as No. 10G of the list 

 abovenamed. For the synonyms, consult what I have said 

 above sub 2. The blossoms greatly resemble those of Tan- 

 djong. but are larger and whiter. The fruits are green and 

 round like those of teroug gloegoe but having a kernel. 

 The gutta is darker colored than that of balam pipis. 

 It is obtained in the same manner. 



(si) Balam tambaga. — Soepajang. — Most probably similar 

 to No. K'3, but not agreeing with other varieties brought 

 into market under the same name from other places in 

 Sumatra. (See above sub 8.) In the place of growth 

 this agrees with balam pipis and doerian. The blossoms 

 resrnil' <■ those of Tandjong but are smaller; the fruits 

 round as a ball, hard and green. The gutta is of 

 inferior quality and darker colored. 



Preserved in the Herbarium and presented by different 

 persons: — 



(xii) Kajoe Balam. — Solok. — Herbarium Botanic Garden 

 No. 960. 



(xiii) Balam tembago. — Boujol, — Herbarium Botanic 

 Garden No. 980. 



(xiv> Getah. Njato doerian. — Sumatra? or Borneo? — 

 Herbarium Botanic Garden No. 14,008. 



(xv) Balam soesoetoi — Loeboe Kilangan (Padaug Pes.) 



The four lastnamed are most probably different names 

 for the same plants (see above sub 2). 



(xvi) Njato doerian. — Sumatra (place of growth not 

 more definitely mentioned;.— Uerbariurnspecirneu collected 

 by Hr. Styniau (see above sub 3). 



