ACONITUM 



Monk's-hood TRADE IN GUM ARABIC 



cwt., Rs. 21,494; 1906-7, 10,127 owt., Rs. 1,54,270 : (6) by LAND 

 1898-9, 18,093 cwt., Rs. 282,877 ; 1902-3, 12,800 cwt., Rs. 1,66,066 ; 

 1906-7, 11,969 cwt., Rs. 1,56,932 : (c) RE-EXPORTS 1898-9, 7,297 cwt., 

 Rs. 1,05,801 ; 1902-3, 10,704 cwt., Rs. 1,47,044 ; 1906-7, 2,684 cwt., 

 Rs. 57,417 : (d) EXPORTS 1898-9,41,469 cwt., Rs. 7,14,632; in 1902-3, 38,019 

 cwt., Rs. 4,54,639 ; and in 1906-7, 35,202 cwt., Rs. 6,69,263. In 1895-6 the 



Declines in Price, exports were less in quantity, but nearly twice the price of those in 1902-3. 

 If there be any meaning in averages of declared official values in a traffic 

 that for some years has been obviously changing its main characteristics, 

 it may be affirmed that a marked depreciation in price has taken place. 

 The traffic in Indian-produced gum for 1906-7 may now be analysed 

 thus exports from Bombay 35,044 cwt. and from Sind 51 cwt. The 

 re-exports take place almost entirely from Bombay, and they are far in 

 excess of the recorded imports, both by sea and land routes. It is not 

 known to what extent the Trans-frontier traffic could be accepted as being 

 gum arabic, but the chief items of the " gums and resins " carried across 

 the frontier, drain from Nepal and Lus Bela. The latter seems a modern 



Adulteration. trade, and doubtless mainly in the gum here dealt with. The discre- 

 pancies between the returns of imports and of re-exports are seemingly 

 due to the Trans -frontier land supply not being fully accounted for ; 

 to the varying extent to which stocks are drawn upon or withheld ; and 

 lastly very possibly to admixture with Indian gum arabic. The re- 

 export trade fluctuates both in quantity and value very considerably, 

 having undoubtedly in the past been greatly disturbed through war and 

 plague. But on this subject WordehofE (Journ. d'Agri. Trop., 1901, i., 



Temporary 46) affirms that the advance in price of the gum called " Soudan " only 



increase lasted into 1892, and that since 1894 the price has been almost the same 



as in 1880. Vilbouchevitch believes that the only effect of the Soudan 

 troubles has been to bring into notice, for subsidiary purposes, certain gums 

 not previously known or indifferently appreciated. There seems no doubt, 

 however, that so far as India is concerned, a decline has taken place in 



increased Indian the imports from Red Sea ports, but an expansion of Indian supply, more 

 especially through the organisation of the Sind and Madras contribution. 

 The figures discussed above are mainly those given for Gum Arabic, 

 not the " other Gums " nor the " Resins." Moreover an error is ever 

 present in that it is not always possible to isolate returns of gums from 

 those of resins. The " other gums " may also be to some extent " gum 

 arabic," and thus the figures quoted may not represent the total trade. 



D.E.P., A. Suma, Buch.-Ham. ; Fl. Br. Ind., ii., 294 ; Gamble, Man. Ind. 



i., 60. Timbs., 295 ; Brandis, Ind. Trees, 268. 



This medium-sized tree has a white bark (a circumstance that gives origin 

 to most of its vernacular names) ; it is common in Bengal, Bihar, Assam and 

 South India, from the Karnatak to Mysore. It is known as the aai-kanta, kumtia, 

 dhaula (white) khefra, etc. Through being confused with uar. unfr (which 

 see under A. Catechu, p. 9) it has by some writers been incorrectly spoken 

 of as a cutch-yielding species. 



D.E.P., ACONITUM ; FL Br. Ind., i., 27-9 ; Agri. Ledg., 1896, No. 32 ; 



i., 84-98. 1898, No. 3; 1902, No. 3; Briihl, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calc., 1896, 



v., pt. ii., 109-14; Stapf, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calc., 1905, x., pt. ii., 



115-94; Monk's-hood; RANUNCULACEJE. 



There are in the world perhaps 150 species of Aconites, chiefly inhabitants 



of the north temperate regions, 24 being Indian. These were figured and 



18 



