30 COMMERCIAL BOTANY. 



"The principal adulterant made use of seems to be 

 gutta-jelutong. 



" Singapore and Penang are the chief collecting depdts 

 for gutta-percha, and a failure in the supply might seriously 

 injure the trade of either port." 



The gutta-jelutong referred to here is the milky juice of 

 an apocynaceous plant described by Sir Joseph Hooker in 

 the Journal of tlie Linnean Society, vol. xix., p. 291, and 

 also in the Flora of British India, vol. iii., p. 664, under the 

 new generic name of Dyera (in honour of Mr. \V. T. 

 Thiselton Dyer, Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew), and 

 the specific name of costulata. 



Next in value to true gutta-percha is gutta sundek, 

 which is obtained in large quantities from Perak. Of this 

 tree Dr. Trimen, of the Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, Cey- 

 lon, reports in 1880: "I have during the year, through 

 the kind exertions of Mr. Low, our Resident at Perak, 

 received a consignment of germinating seeds of the second 

 best variety of that country. This is called gatah sundek, 

 and Mr. Low informs me that it forms a very large tree, 

 120 feet high, but quick-growing. From specimens of the 

 foliage and fruit sent with the seeds, it would appear (so far 

 as it can be identified without flowers) to be a species of 

 Payena. This is a valuable gift, as the gatah trees in 

 Perak sufficiently large to produce the gum are now very rare, 

 and very great difficulty arises in procuring seeds or speci- 

 mens." Dr. Trimen further reports that the young plants 

 were growing vigorously in Peradeniya and Heneratgoda. 



Referring to the aid that the Colonial Government 

 might give in preserving these valuable trees or extending 

 their growth, Dr. Denny s says: "It maybe difficult for 

 the Colonial Government to exercise a direct influence in 

 favour of care and prudence on the part of the native 

 administrations, but much might be done to encourage 

 enterprise in the formation of new gutta plantations. It 



