447 



Extracts from the * Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London? 



(Continued from page 210). 



On the Aquilaria Agallocha, Roxb., the AgallocMim or Aloe-wood 

 Tree of Commerce. By the late William Roxburgh, M.D., F.L.S., 

 &c. ; communicated by the President. 



The memoir, written in 1810 or 1811, contains a detailed description 

 of this important tree, as well as much other information in addition 

 to that published in the posthumous ' Flora Indica ' of the author. 

 The plants described were sent to the Calcutta Botanic Garden by 

 Robert Keith Dick, Judge and Magistrate at Silhet ; and an extract 

 is given from a letter addressed by that gentleman to Dr. Roxburgh, 

 in which he states that the wood is brought for sale from the country 

 of Kuchar and from the southern parts of the zillah of Silhet, parti- 

 cularly the divisions of Puthureea and Lunglah, where the tree is 

 known by the Bengal name of Tuggur. Its extreme height is from 

 sixty to seventy cubits, and the trunk from two to two and a half 

 cubits in diameter. No part of the wood, except that which is used 

 for the extraction of the Uttur, is applied to any useful purpose. 

 Few trees contain any of this precious perfume, and such as do, have 

 it very partially distributed in the trunk and branches. The people 

 employed in its collection, however, cut down all the trees indiscri- 

 minately, and then search for the Aggur by chopping through the 

 whole tree, and removing such portions as are found to contain the 

 oil or have the smell of it. In this state Mr. Dick describes four dif- 

 ferent kinds, of which the first, called Ghurkee, sinks, and sells at 

 from 12 to 16 rupees per seer of 2 tbs. ; the second, called Doim, pro- 

 duces from 6 to 8 rupees per seer ; the third, Simula, floats, and is 

 sold at from 3 to 4 rupees ; and the fourth, Choorum, in small pieces, 

 which also float, at 1 to 1|- rupees per seer. The oil is obtained by 

 bruising the wood in a mortar, and then infusing it in boiling 

 water, when the Uttur collects on the surface. Neither root, leaves, 

 nor bark yield any Uttur. Some trees will produce a maund (80 tbs.) 

 of the four sorts. So far Mr. Dick. Dr. Roxburgh thinks that there 

 is a wonderful agreement between the various but imperfect accounts 

 of the trees said to produce the Calambac or Agallochum of the an- 

 cients and that which he describes. He notices the descriptions 

 given by Lamarck and Cavanilles, which he thinks, as far as they go, 

 agree well with the plant of the Botanic Garden ; as do those of 



