37 



Rhodes, and Cyprus by the Saracens, as abundance of sugar was made in 

 these islands previous* to the discovery of the West Indies in 1492 by the 

 Spaniards, and the East Indies and Brazil by the Portuguese in 1497 and 1560. 

 It was cultivated afterwards in Spain, in Valentia, Granada, and Murcia 

 bv the Moors. In the fifteenth century it was introduced into the Canary 

 Islands by the Spaniards and to Madeira by the Portuguese, and thence to 

 the West India Islands and to Brazil. The Dutch began to make sugar in 

 the island of St. Thomas in the year 1610 and in Jamaica in 1644. Its cul- 

 ture has since become general in warm climates and its use universal. 



375. SAGUERUS SACCHARIFER. The arenga palm, which is of great value to the 



Malays. The black horsehair like fiber surrounding its leaf -stalks is made 

 into cordage; a large amount of toddy or palm wine is obtained by cutting 

 off the flower spikes, which, when inspissated, affords sugar, and when fer- 

 mented a capital vinegar. Considerable quantities of inferior sago and sev- 

 eral other products of minor importance are derived from this palm. 



376. SAGUS RUMPHII. This palm produces the sago of commerce, which is prepared 



from the soft inner portion of the trunk. It is obtained by cutting the 

 trunk into small pieces, which are split and the soft substance scooped out 

 and pounded in water till the starchy substance separates and settles. This 

 is sago meal; but before being exported it is made into what is termed 

 pearl sago. This is a Chinese process, principally carried on at Singapore. 

 The meal is washed, strained, and spread out to dry; it is then broken up, 

 pounded, and sifted until it is of a regular size. Small quantities being 

 then placed in bags, these are shaken about until it becomes granulated or 

 pearled. 



377. SALVADORA PERSICA. This is supposed to be the plant that produced the 



mustard seed spoken of in the Scriptures. 



378. SANDORICUM INDICUM. A tropical tree, sometimes called the Indian sandal 



tree, which produces a fruit like an apple, of agreeable acid flavor. The 

 root of the tree has some medicinal value. 



379. SANSEVIERA GUINEENSIS. Called the African bowstring hemp, from the fibers 



of the leaves being used for bowstrings. 



380. SANTALUM ALBUM. Thi? tree yields the true sandalwood of India. This fra- 



grant wood is in two colors, procured from the same tree; the yellow-colored 

 wood is from the heart and the white-colored from the exterior, the latter 

 not so fragrant. The Chinese manufacture it into musical instruments, 

 small cabinets, boxes, and similar articles, which are insect proof. From 

 shavings of the wood an essential oil is distilled, which is used in per- 

 fumery. 



381. SAPINDUS SAPONARIA. The soapberry tree. The fruit of this plant is about 



the size of a large gooseberry, the outer covering or shell of which contains 

 a saponaceous principle in sufficient abundance to produce a lather with 

 water and is used as a substitute for soap. The seeds are hard, black, and 

 round, and are used for making rosaries and necklaces, and at one time 

 were covered for buttons. Oil is also extracted from the seeds and is known 

 as soap oil. 



382. SAPIUM INDICUM. A widely distributed Asiatic tree which yields an acrid, 



milky juice, which, as also the leaves of the plant, furnishes a kind of dye. 

 The fruit in its green state is acid, and is eaten as a condiment in Borneo. 



383. SAPOTA ACHRAS. The fruit of this plant is known in the West Indies as the 



sapodilla plum. It is highly esteemed by the inhabitants; the bark of the 

 tree is astringent and febrifugal; the seeds are aperient and diuretic. 



384. SAPOTA MULLERL The bully or balata tree of British Guiana, which furnishes 



a gum somewhat intermediate between India rubber and gutta-percha, 

 being nearly as elastic as the first without the brittleness and f riability of 

 the latter, and requiring a high temperature to melt or soften it. 



385. SCHIXUS MOLLE. The root of this plant is used medicinally and the resin that 



exudes from the tree is employed to astringe the gums. The leaves are so 

 filled with resinous fluid that when they are immersed in water it is ex- 

 p^lled with such violence as to have the appearance of spontaneous motion 

 in consequence of the recoil. The fruits are of the size of pepper corns and 

 are warm to the taste. The pulp surrounding the seeds is made into a kind 

 of beverage by the Mexican Indians. The plant is sometimes called Mexi- 

 can pepper. 



