62 



CASE Observe GuM Sarcocolla, Anzerut or Gujar 

 32. {Astragalus Sarcocolla^ Uymock). It is imported into 

 India from the Persian Gulf and is an important in- 

 gredient in the preparation of plasters employed by 

 Parsee bone-setters. 



No. 184. Tragacanth. A viscid gum yielded by 

 Astragalus gum'tnifer^ Lab., A. eriostylus, Boiss. and 

 Haussk., A.adscendens^ Boiss. and Haussk., A. hrachycalyx^ 

 Fisch., A. microceplialiis^ Willd., and other species, natives 

 of mountainous districts in iVsia Minor, Persia, Syria, and 

 Greece. They are spiny shrubs, as shown in the mounted 

 specimen of A. gummifer, upon which the gum has 

 exuded from cracks in the bark. Tragacanth is not 

 simply the juice of the plant hardened by exposure, " but 

 a more or less complete transformation of the cells of the 

 pith and medullar}^ rays of the stem into a mucilaginous 

 mass. Tragacanth is collected for commercial purposes 

 either from natural exudations or from incisions made in 

 the stems. The first produces the common sorts or small 

 irregular pieces, the second produces Flake Tragacanth, a 

 very fine sample of which is shown, together with vermi- 

 form or vermicelli Tragacanth and other sorts. Gum 

 Tragacanth is used in medicine as an emollient and demul- 

 cent, also in confectionery, and as a mucilage and for 

 stiffening crape, calico, &c. [Specimens of Tragacanth- 

 yielding species, with information on the mode of collect- 

 ing the gum are much wanted.] 



No. 185. Liquorice Root {GlycyrrJiiza glabra,!^.), 

 cultivated chiefly in Spain, Italy, Asia Minor, Southern 

 Russia, and China, and to some extent in Yorkshire. 

 Spanish Juice is the sweet extract evaporated to dryness; 

 made up with gum, gelatine, &c., it forms Pipe- juice. 

 Liquorice is used in medicine in lozenges, &c. In England 

 it serves to flavour porter ; in France it is made into drinks 

 for the sick. Block Liquorice, known as LIQUORICE 

 Paste, is largely used in America for soaking tobacco 

 leaves in the form in which they are made up for chewing. 

 The bulk of Liquorice root exported from Smyrna goes to 

 the United States for this purpose. 



Turkish Liquorice is not so sweet as that of Spain or 

 Sicily, but keeps better. Specimens of dried roots peeled 



