40 PHILIPPINE RESINS, GUMS, AND OILS 
ngin or pagsahingin (Rizal, Bataan); palsahingin (Laguna, Bataan) ; pili 
(Tayabas, Masbate, Laguna, Mindoro, Rizal, Marinduque, Tarlac, Bataan, 
Albay, Sorsogon); pisa (Cavite); sdhing (Bataan); tugtugin (Tayabas). 
MANILA ELEMI 
The name elemi is a term applied to a variety of resinous 
products obtained from different countries and having different 
botanical origins. There appears, however, to be little doubt 
that the species concerned all belong to the family Burseraceae. 
The greater part of the world’s supply is derived from the Phil- 
ippine Islands, and is known as Manila elemi. It is obtained 
from the trunk of Canarium luzonicum and is known locally by 
the Spanish term brea blanca (white pitch). 
Brea of the best quality is soft, sticky, opaque, slightly yellow 
in color, has a very agreeable resinous odor, and burns with a 
smoky flame. It is used locally as a varnish, for caulking boats, 
and for torches. As the brea is very sticky, in preparing the 
torches, it is usually gathered in the most convenient way pos- 
sible regardless of dirt and chips, and then kneaded on the 
ground by beating it with a piece of wood. When enough dirt 
has been mixed with it to make it stiff, it is rolled into shape 
and wrapped in a leaf of the anahau palm (Livistona). Near 
the forest, these torches are usually sold for 1 centavo each, 
but in towns they are retailed for about 3 centavos each. They 
give a very brilliant light and burn for a long time. 
Manila elemi is exported from the Philippines in considerable 
quantities. The exports for the past five years are given in 
Table 4. 
TABLE 4.—Amount and value of Manila elemi exported from the Philippines 
from 1914 to 1918. 





Year. Amount. va 
Kilo- 
grams. Pesos. 
W914 so 3a a a ee ee 35, 652 9, 478 
191b ve ose hate ee ee eee 11, 380 3, 781 
AQIG coe so Sn ke SE i Pe a oe a ee 104,311 | 45, 852 
AGU eo os oe 5 ee ee ee 78,848 | 29,525 
1918. 232s aS ee ee ee a ee 17, 136 Sy =m 


Some of the resin is shipped from Manila to Europe for use 
in preparing medicinal ointments and, to a smaller extent, in 
the manufacture of varnish; while much of the product is 
sent to China and is there used for making transparent paper 
€ 
