AIIECA PALM. 



579 



spissated by continual boiling. This process furnishes Kassu, or most astringent 

 terra japoniea, which is black and mixed with paddy criu, husks, and other 

 impurities. After the nuts are dried, they are put into a fresh quantity of 

 water, boiled again ; and this water being inspissated, like the former, yields 

 the best or dearest kind of catechu, called Coony. It is yellowish brown, has 

 an earthy fracture, and is free from the admixture of foreign bodies. 



Most of the betel nuts imported into China coine from Java, 

 Singapore, and Piuang. Betel nut is not so generally used in the 

 South of China as among the Southern Islands, and in the north 

 of China it is a luxury, as the pepper does not grow freely there. 

 Formerly there was a considerable trade in betel nuts with the 

 Coromandel coast, from whence the natives brought back manu- 

 factured goods and other necessaries in return, but this has ceased 

 for some time. The common price was 20,000 for a dollar. These 

 nuts are seldom imported into England, though they might be of 

 use as a dye in some manufactures. 



The natives of the East chew the fruit of Elate sylvestris, 

 (which is something like a wild plum), in the same manner as the 

 areca nut, with the leaf of the betel pepper and quick lime. 



The inner wood furnishes a kind of Catechu or Outch, which 

 contains much tannin and is a powerful astringent. It is obtained 

 by the simple process of boiling the heart of the wood for a few 

 hours, when it assumes the appearance and consistency of tar. 

 It hardens by cooling, and when formed into small squares and 

 dried in the sun is fit for the market. 



The produce of Bombay is of uniform texture and of a dark red 

 color. That of Conean and other parts of India is of chocolate 

 color, and marked inside with red streaks. 



The analysis of Sir H. Davy gave the following result : 



Bombay. Conean. 



Tannin 54'5 . . 48'5 



Extractive 34'0 .. 365 



Mucilage 6*5 . . 8'0 



Insoluble matters, sand, lime, &c 5-0 . . 7'0 



100- 100- 



Catechu is in extensive use in India for tanning purposes, and 

 of late years it has entirely superseded madder in the calico works 

 of Europe for dyeing a golden coffee-brown, one pound of catechu 

 being found equivalent to six pounds of madder. 



Value of the areca nuts exported from Ceylon to the British 

 Colonies and foreign States in the years named : 



. 



1839 22,956 



1840 23,096 



1841 22,428 



1842 29,222 



1843 27,028 



1844 20,978 



1845 31,836 



. 



1846 34,209 



1847 35,723 



1848 42,482 



1849 31,746 



1850 42,907 



1851 54,846 



1852 62,230 



2 p 2 



