RHAMNEZ, _— 351 
In India we have also several cultivated varieties of 
Z. Jujuba (Sans. Vadari or Badari, Dviparni and Vanakoli) 
which afford edible fruit, as well as a wild variety; their bark 
is powerfully astringent, and a kind of lac, known as Bori-lék, 
is found upon them. The fruit is dried and powdered; this 
powder is called in Hindi Ber-chuni, and is used as an article of 
diet. The young leaves are pounded with those of Ficus 
glomerata, and applied to scorpion stings; they are also with 
Acacia Catechu leaves given as a cooling medicine in hot 
Weather in doses of two tol4s (860 grains). According to 
Ainslie, the root is prescribed in decoction by the Vytians in 
conjunction with sundry warm seeds, as a drink in certain 
cases of fever. : 
The white pear-shaped fruit of Z. rugosa (Turan) is 
eaten by the natives, and the-bark is used as an astringent in 
diarrhoea. The fruit of Z. xylopyra is used by shoe-makers 
for blackening leather and for making blacking. The flowers 
of Z. rugosa, with an equal quantity of the petioles of the | 
Betel leaf, and half as much lime, are given in 4-grain pills 
twice a day for menorrhagia. 
Description.—The dried fruit which comes from China 
is from 1 to 14 inch long and # inch broad; skin red, much 
shrivelled; pulp adherent to the stone, spongy, sweet and 
yellow; stone 7-10th inch long, very hard and rugose, apex 
sharp-pointed ; shell very thick ; seed oblong, flat, of a chestnut 
colour, 4-10th inch long and 2-10th broad. The fruit which 
comes from the Persian Gulf is somewhat smaller. 
Chemical composition.—Jujubes contain mucilage and sugar, 
The bark and leaves contain tannin. The watery extract of the 
Wood contains a crystallizable principle (ziziphic acid), a tannin 
(ziziphotannic acid) and a little sugar.  (Latour.) ; 
Commerce.—The Indian market is supplied from China and ~ 
the Persian Gulf ports. The Chinese fruit is preferred, ” 
- lt is larger and sweeter. Value, Chinese, Rs. 8 per Surat 
_ maund of 37} lbs.; Arabian, Rs, 4—5, ee eee ee 
