556 



PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 



[anno 1789. 



bag is placed over a fire, and frequently turned till the lac is liquid enough to 

 pass through its pores, when it is taken off the fire, and squeezed by 2 men in 

 diflEerent directions, dragging it along the convex part of a plantain-tree prepared 

 for the purpose; while this is doing, the other bag is heating, to be treated in 

 the same way. The mucilaginous and smooth surface of the plantain-tree seems 

 peculiarly well adapted for preventing the adhesion of the heated lac, and giving 

 it the form which enhances its value so much. The degree of pressure on the 

 plantaiurtree regulates the thickness of the shell, and the quality of the bag de- 

 termines its fineness and transparency. They have learned of late that the lac, 

 which is thicker in the shell than it used to be, is most prized in Europe. Assam 

 furnishes us with the greatest quantity of lac in use; and it may not be generally 

 known, that the tree on which they produce the best and largest quantity of lac, 

 is not uncommon in Bengal, and might be employed in propagating the fly, and 

 cultivating the lac, to great advantage. The small quantity of lac collected in 

 these provinces affords a precarious and uncertain crop, because not attended to. 

 Some attention at particular seasons is necessary to invite the fly to the tree; and 

 collecting the whole of the lac with too great an avidity, where the insect is not 

 very generally to be met with, may annihilate the breed. 



The best method of cultivating the tree, and preserving the insect, being pro- 

 perly understood in Bengal, would secure to the Coss possessions the benefit 

 arising from the sale of a lucrative article, in great demand and of extensive use. 



A Meteorological Journal kept at the Apartments of the Royal Society ^ for the 

 Year 1788, by Order of the President and Council, p. 113. 

 A synopsis for the whole year is as follows: 



1788. 



January . . . . 

 February . . 

 March . . . . 



April 



May 



June 



July 



August . . . . 

 September . . 

 October . . . . 

 November . . 

 December . . 



Whole year 



Kain. 



Inches. 



0.439 

 1.461 

 0.336 

 0.607 

 0.497 

 3.275 

 1.620 



2.699 

 3.345 

 0.103 

 0.510 

 0.000 



14.892 



