A36 ORD. XXV. Lomentacee. MIMOSA CATECHU. 
attended to the process of the manufacturer in the preparation of 
Catechu, but that he actually repeated it himself; and upon the 
faith of the figure and description of the plant which he has given, 
and from which he prepared the Catechu, the younger Linnaus 
has admitted it into the Supp. Plant. under the name of Mimosa 
Catechu; and we have accordingly figured the plant. The pre- 
paration of the extract is stated by Mr. Kerr to be as follows: 
“ After felling the trees, the manufacturer carefully cuts off all 
the exterior white part of the wood. The interior coloured wood 
is cut into chips, with which he fills a narrow-mouthed unglazed 
earthen pot, pouring water upon them until he sees it among the 
upper chips; when this is half evaporated by boiling, the decoc- 
tion, without straining, is poured into a flat earthen pot, and 
boiled to one third part; this is set in a. cool place for one day, 
and afterward sevaporated by the heat of the sun, stirring it several 
times in the day; when it is reduced to a saiecahie thickness, 
it is spread upon a mat or cloth, which has previously been 
covered with the ashes of cow dung; this mass is divided into 
square or quadrangular pieces by a string, and completely dried 
by turning them frequently in the sun, ‘anil they are fit for 
sale,’’* : : 
it manifests upon being touched, or even approached, induced my ingenious 
_ friend Dr, Marshal, to dissect the moving fibres, In his letter to me, he says, 
I have made two or three dissections (more to gratify the curiosity of the 
moment than to ascertain any discovery) of the fleshy joints of the Mimosa 
pudica; branch is articulated with stem, petiolus with branch, and petiolus of 
«¢ the leafit with the common petiolus. Within the fleshy substance of the joint 
are found numerous white threads, which go from one articulated body to 
** the other, inserted into both. These it would appear, are the irrifable fibres, 
by which the motions are performed.” - 
« ¢ Jn making the extract, the pale brown wood is preferred, as it produces 
the fine whitish extract: the darker the wood is, the blacker the extract, and of 
less value. They are very careful in drying their pots upon the fire, before they 
are used; but very negligent in cutting their chips upon the ground, and not 
straining the decoction, by which, and the dirty ashes they use, there must be a 
considerable quantity of earth in the extract, besides what avarice may prompt 
them‘to put into it.” Kerr Ll, c. 
