74 



CASE the bared portion of the trunk, which is covered with 

 38. cloths. These when saturated with balsam are boiled 

 in water for some time, the cloths being finally wrung 

 in a rope press, such as is exhibited. By this means 

 very little of the balsam is wasted. When it is cooled 

 the water is poured off, and the balsam transferred to 

 the canisters for exportation. One of these canisters is 

 shown, together with two eartheuAvare jars, such as were 

 formerly used for the purpose. Balsam of Peru is used 

 in perfumery, in the manufacture of soap, and to a slight 

 extent in medicine, in cases of bronchitis, asthma, &c. 

 Fruits and wood of the tree are also shown. 



Sub-Order II. Caesalpinieae. On an upper shelf of 

 the next compartment of this case are seeds of the Chiga 

 (Campsiandra comosa, Bth.), and starch obtained from 

 them from the Upper Orinoco, where the flour or starch 

 is used for making bread and tarts. 



Note samples of Peach Wood, Brazil Wood, and 

 Lima Wood, dye woods usually attributed to Caesalpinia 

 echinata, Lam. The sources of these woods are, however, 

 not satisfactorily known. Authentic specimens of leaves 

 and flowers would be valuable. [Braziletto wood is 

 the product of Peltophorum Linnaei^ Bth. (Caesalpinia 

 brasiliensis, L.), native of Jamaica and some other West 

 Indian Islands, but not of Brazil.] 



On the lower shelves are pods of several species of 

 Caesalpinia from South America, East Indies, &c., the 

 more important being Tarra (C tinctoria^ Domb.), used 

 in Lima for making ink. Pods and leaves of Barbados 

 Pride {C, 2^ulch('rrima, Sw.) used in the East Indies as a 

 substitute for Senna. Pods of Tereb, Teri, or TOWRI 

 ((7. digyna, Rottl.) from Assam, used for tanning. Also 

 pods, entire and pounded — showing the amount of resin 

 contained in them — of C. hrevifolia, Baill. (Balsamocar- 

 pum brevifolium, 67os.), from Santiago, likewise used for 

 tanning and known as Algarrobo. 



No. 211. Divi Divi pods {Caesalpinia coriaria, 

 Willd.). A powerful astringent imported from the East 

 and West Indies and South America for the use of tan- 

 ners. Specimens are exhibited from Maracaibo, Savanilla, 

 und other parts, also leather tanned with the pods. 



