340 LEGUMIXOS.li: PRODUCING TAXXING MATTERS AND DYES 



Cassia siamea (Tree). — A sample of the bark, which was sent to 

 Mysore as tanning material, contained 4*1 per cent, of tannin. 



Cassia 7ora (Tree). — This tree is cultivated for its seeds, which the 

 dyers of blue cloth in Pondicherry use as a mordant. 



Caesaipinia coriaria (Tree). — The plant known as dividivi was 

 introduced into India by Dr. W. Hamilton in 1834. It is a native of 

 America and the West Indies. 



It has been cultivated in a number of localities with varjnng 

 success, and the pods have occasionally been exported to London. 

 The South American pods usually contain 30 to 50 per cent, of tanning 

 matter. For tanning purposes the Indian dividivi is regarded as 

 inferior to that of America, and Professor Dunstan confirms this 

 opinion. Possibly samples from other provinces give better results. 

 According to Thorpe, in order to exploit the dividivi in India with 

 success, it is necessary to incorporate some substance which prevents 

 the usual fermentation taking place and spoiling the tanning process. 



The fruit contains a yellowish pulp used in dyeing. 



CSBSalpinia digyna (Tree). — This plant grows wild in several 

 Indian Provinces. Commercial samples have given 3,^ per cent, of 

 tannin. According to experiments made by Professor Dunstan in 

 i8Qg, pods stripped of their seeds contained 50 per cent, of tanning- 

 matters, and in a sample from Assam the proportion was about 60 per 

 cent. Consequently the pods are richer than those of the American 

 dividivi, and an aqueous solution does not seem to be subject to the 

 fermentation which is the cause of so much trouble in that variety. 



Appended are analyses of three samples of crushed husks from 

 Bombay, Burmah, and Assam : — ■ 



Caesaipinia brevifolia (Tree).— Mr. N. Evans finds a large quantity 

 of tannin in these pods; the fibrous portions giving iro per cent, and 

 the gummy or resinous portion 66-g per cent. 



M. Zoelfell has examined these tannins and decided that they 

 are a mixture of two bodies. The first, or smaller portion, is a gluco- 

 side of gallic acid, and the second is ellagic acid with the formula 



Cassalpinia crista (Tree).— A fine tree inhabiting the Brazilian and 

 Jamaican forests. The reddish-brown wood turns water a fine red 

 colour, giving it a sugary flavour and a slightly aromatic odour. 



Caesaipinia echlnata (Tree).— Occurs in the forest of Sainte Marthe, 

 in New Grenada. Although less rich than the foregoing, it is never- 

 theless considered one of the good woods for red dyes. It is known 

 as Brazilian wood or Pernambuco wood. The dyeing matter is hrcsilin. 



