398 MINOR PRODUCTS OF PHILIPPINE FORESTS 



(Isabela) ; paiigupldsen (Ilocos Norte); parandang (Palawan); pikkal 

 (Zambales) ; saldb na piila (Batangas); tafu (Cagayan). 



Kamala is a powder obtained from the exterior of the seeds 

 of Mallotus philippinensis and is valued both as a fast dye and 

 for its medicinal properties. 



Concerning this dye Perkin and Everest * say : 



Kamala is employed by the Hindoos as an antithelmic drug and for 

 dyeing silk and wool a bright orange colour. The fabric is dyed in a 

 boiling bath containing 4 parts kamala, 1 part alum and 2 parts sodium 

 carbonate (native barilla), previously well-rubbed together in the pow- 

 dered state with a small quantity of oil of sesamum. The alum is some- 

 times omitted, but the addition of alkali is absolutely necessary in order 

 to dissolve the colouring matter, which is of a resinous character and 

 quite insoluble in water. * * * 



According to Hummel and Perkin (J. Soc. Chem. Ind., 1895, 14), for 

 silk dyeing it is best to add 1 part of kamala and 0.5-1 part sodium- 

 carbonate to boiling water, then to enter the silk and to dye at the boiling 

 temperature for two to five minutes only. Other experiments indicated 

 that the amount of sodium carbonate to employ should be regulated by 

 the quantity of water used .rajther than by that of the kamala, namely, 

 at the rate of 13-1.4 -gr^m/ (Na;CX)3 10 aq) per litre. After dyeing for 

 a short time with the addition of alkali only, to the extent of one-fifth of 

 the weight of the kamala used, the addition of alum or stannous chloride to 

 the dye-bath makes the colour fuller and more orange. A similar but by 

 no means identical effect is obtained by making a slight addition of 

 sulphuric acid. 



Mallotus philippinensis is a tree 4 to 10 meters high. The 

 small branches, young leaves and inflorescences are covered with 

 brown hairs. The leaves are alternate and 7 to 16 centimeters 

 long. The fruit is somewhat rounded, 6 to 8 millimeters in 

 diameter and densely covered with a crimson powder. 



This species is found from India to southern China, through 

 Malaya to Australia, and is common and widely distributed in 

 open places and in second-growth forests in the Philippines. 



Genus RICINUS 



RICINUS COMMUNIS L. Taxgan-tangan or Castor-oil Plant. 



A description and figure of this plant and its local names- 

 are given in the section on resins, gums, and oils. ' 



The leaves of this plant added to mud produce a gray color 

 on mats.f 



* Perkin, A. G., and Everest, A. E., The natural organic colouring 

 matters (1918), pages 598 and 601. 



t Miller, H. H., Minier, J. T., Andes, U. S., Muller, T., and Brezina, 

 A., Philippine mats. Philippine Craftsman, Volume 1 (1912), page 162, 



