LOTA NY. 



151 



Dr. Wight, in a recent number of his Neilgherry Plants., 

 *ays : " Two species of the genus garcinia are known to 

 produce gamboge, most of the others yield a yellow juice, 

 but not gamboge, as it will not mix with water." The 

 species which he has described as producing gamboge, 

 and to which I suppose he refers, are G. gutter, or H. 

 Cambogioides, (Graham,) and G. pictoria, (Roxburgh.) 



In its appearance to the eye, and in its properties as a 

 pigment, I have failed to discover the slightest difference 

 between the exudation of this tree, and the gamboge of 

 commerce The Burmese priests use it occasionally to 

 dye their robes, the Karens their thread, and it serves 

 equally well in colouring drawings. It is also used by the 

 native doctors in medicine, but not extensively. 



Dr. Lind-ley,in his new work the Vegetable Kingdom, 

 says : "The best gamboge comes in the form of pipes from 

 Siam,and this is conjectured to be the produce of Garcinia 

 Cochinchinmsis." Now as G. ettiptica is spread all over the 

 province of Mergui, is it not.probable that it also extends 

 jnto Siam, and that the Siamese gamboge is the product, 

 a part at least, of this tree ? 



Specimens of the gamboge were sent up with the above 

 communication to Calcutta, and the Secretary of the 

 Asiatic Society wrote in reply : " Our best botanists 

 here, consider that you have hit upon the true tree at 

 last." 



Garcinia elliptica. 



cx^oSccoSii cOj'biysj. obscS^jJegSjJn 

 Garcinia pictoria. 



CAMPHOR. 



One of the most abundant weeds throughout the Pro- 

 vinces is a species of Blumea, that grows six or eight feet 

 high with leaves like mullen, which, when bruised, emit a 

 strong odour of camphor. Many years ago the Tavoyers 

 informed me, that they were in the habit of making an 

 impure camphor from the weed by a very simple process ; 

 but Mr. O'Riley of Amherst was the first to make a good 



