10 NOTE ON BABUL. 



The following is the result of an analysis of these pods made by the 

 Technical College in 1913 : 



Whole pod. Husk only. 

 Per cent. Per cent. 



Tannin matter absorbed by hide powder 12-6 21-0 



Soluble non-tannin matter . . . 15-4 25-6 



Moisture >. . . . . . 18-0 



Insoluble ..... 54-0 



100-0 



Since the seeds were said to form 40 per cent., and the bark 60 per cent, 

 of the whole pod, it will be seen that, according to this analysis, 60 per 

 cent, of the bark contains 21 per cent, of tan. 



(c) GUM. 



The gum of Acacia arabica is an important minor product. It is 

 not the true gum arabic, which is obtained from Acacia Senegal, but 

 is the Indian gum arabic of commerce or " gum ghati." The gum 

 exudes spontaneously, or is procured by incisions in the bark in the 

 form of small lumps varying inform and size. A good tree is stated 

 to yield about 2 Ibs. of gum in a year. The gum is extensively used 

 for calico printing and sizing paper, for fixing paint and 

 whitewash, as a mucilage, and to a limited extent in medicine. It 

 is also eaten, and used in preparing sweet-meats. The price varies 

 according to quality and colour : large light coloured tears from Sind 

 Babul fetch the highest prices, a fair average being about 4 annas per 

 lb., while the fine qualities fetch as much as 8 annas per Ib. 



The gum is not, as a rule, collected departmentally, but by contrac- 

 tors, as in Tinnevelly, and can generally be purchased in large Bazaars. 

 In the latter case, however, it will very likely be mixed with that of 

 other species, for, as the Dictionary of Economic Products states, " the 

 gums designated ' gum Ghati ' would embrace very possibly a wide 

 range of gums (besides those obtained from species of Acacia), and 

 very often it is believed degrees of quality must denote the extent of 

 admixture rather than the nature of specific variations. 



There is a considerable export trade in Indian gum arabic, and the 

 latest figures available, those for the year 1913-14, show that 44,691 

 cwts. valued at 62,485, were exported from India to the United 

 Kingdom and various foreign countries. Practically the whole of the 

 amount came from Bombay. 



