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yielding the gum of the best quality. It is said to grow 

 chiefly on poor sandy soil and its gum fetches a price 

 more than double the price given for the other sorts. 



The Gutta Percha when it arrives in this country 

 contains as much as 25 or 30 per cent of impurities. 

 The process of cleaning the gum is a most simple one 

 and should it be ever produced in large quantities in the 

 Coleny, the impurities might very easily be removed on 

 the spot, which would considerably reduce the costs of 

 freight, etc. 



The only necessary machinery consist of boilers, 

 cleaners and mastiseators. The India Rubber is collec- 

 ted in a similar manner to Gutta-Percha as it oozes from 

 incisions in the tree. The process of mixing it with 

 sulphur and then moulding it into the requisite forms 

 are also very interesting. 



Drugs 



I quote from the Pharmaceutical journal and trans- 

 actions the folio wing remarks on the Exhibits in that 

 Department shown by the Colony at the Exhibition. 



" Although Mauritius rejoices in the possession of 

 a very large number of native remedies^ very few of 

 them are exhibited, but to make up for their absence an 

 excellent herbarium of dried specimens of the native 

 plants used in medecines is contributed by the Woods 

 and Forests Department, and a collection of Beautifully 

 executed water-colour drawings of the plants themselves 

 i-by Mr A. Descubes. Some years since a valuable des- 

 ciptive catalogue of the me dicinal plants of the island 



