184 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



the wood of a species of sensitive plant the Acacia 

 catechu. 



This tree is indigenous to Hindostan, flourishing 

 abundantly in mountainous parts. It grows to 

 about twelve feet in height, and about one foot in 

 diameter : it is covered with a thick, rough, brown 

 bark, and divides near the summit into many close 

 branches. The leaves are doubly winged and placed 

 alternately upon the younger branches. The single 

 leaves, forming the winged leaf, grow in pairs oppo- 

 site to each other. The flowers grow in close spikes, 

 which arise from the insertion of the leaves. The 

 seed-pods are brown, smooth, and lance-shaped, and 

 contain six or eight seeds. It flowers in June. 

 Short curved spines grow in pairs at the base of each 

 leaf. The extract obtained from this tree is made 

 from a decoction of the wood : it is a dry friable 

 substance of a red colour externally, and within of a 

 shining dark red brown. 



As soon as the trees are felled all the exterior 

 white wood is carefully cut away ; the interior 

 coloured wood is then cut into chips : narrow-mouthed 

 unglazed pots are nearly filled with these, and water 

 is added to cover them, and reach to the top of the 

 vessel. When this is half evaporated by boiling, the 

 decoction, without straining, is poured into a shallow 

 earthen vessel, and farther reduced two-thirds by 

 boiling. It is then set in a cool place for one day, 

 and afterwards evaporated by the heat of the sun, 

 being stirred several times during that process. When 

 it is reduced to a considerable thickness, it is spread 

 upon a mat or cloth, which has been previously 

 covered with the ashes of cow-dung. This mass is 

 divided with a string into quadrangular pieces, which 

 are completely dried by being turned frequently in 

 the sun, and are then fit for sale. Catechu is im- 

 ported into this country from Bengal and Bombay. 



