83 

 623.— RESIN from Glusia alba. 



Tins resin was collected by a friend from trees growing on one of 

 the Quarantine Islands in the Gulf of Paria (Harbour of Port-of- 



Spain.) 



IMPERIAL INSTITUTE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE 

 COLONIES AND INDIA. 



No. 346/13. Imperial Institute Road, London, S.W., 



18th May, 1904-. 

 Dear Mr. Hart, 



The small sample of Aralee or West Indian Gamboge derived from 

 Clusia alba, Linn, which you forwarded to the Imperial Institute on 

 the 8th April last has now been examined in the Scientific and Tech- 

 nical Department and has given the following results. 



The specimen weighed about 75 grams and consisted of Small 

 lumps of a brittle resin varying in colour from light yellow to deep 

 reddish brown. The material was soluble in choloroform, ether, 

 benzene and oil of turpentine and partially so in alcohol. It melted 

 at 74° C. and on ignition furnished 045 per cent of ash. The saponi- 

 fication value was 151 '5, acid number 128'5 and ester value 23 - 0. 



These results indicate that this resin is quite unlike commercial 

 gamboge in composition. Its solution in turpentine oil when exposed 

 to air dries slowly to a soft sticky varnish which would be of no use 

 for technical purposes. It is improbable that this resin possesses any 

 commercial value. 



I am. 



Yours faithfully. 



J. H. Hart, Esq., Wyndham R. Dunstan. 



Botanical Department, 

 Trinidad. 



624.-REPORTS BY PROFESSOR DUNSTAN ON CACAO 



COTTON AND HONEY. 



IMPERIAL INSTITUTE, (south Kensington, london, s.w.) 

 Report on Cacao, Cotton and Honey from Trinidad. 



By Professor Wyndham R. Dunstan, M.A., F.R.S., Director. 



These samples of cacao, cotton and honey were forwarded to the 

 Imperial Institute by the Governor of Trinidad, and are referred to in 

 the letter from the Colonial Secretary, No. 1565/545 of the 11th March. 

 1904, in which it was requested that they should be submitted to 

 examination and valuation by the Scientific and Technical Department. 

 The specimens had been prepared by the Superintendent of the Royal 

 Botanic Gardens, Trinidad, and particulars concerning them were sup- 

 plied in a separate communication. 



