140 



CASE corollas of the flowers, which form an important article 



73. of food both for men and animals in Central India, and 



yield by distillation a large percentage of spirit. The 



average yield of flowers per tree is estimated at 2^ maunds 



and they sell at about 12 annas per maund. 



The fruit, ripe or unripe, is also valuable. The outer 

 coat is eaten raw, or cooked as a vegetable ; the inner one 

 is dried and ground into meal. From the kernel a greenish- 

 yellow oil or butter is obtained, largely used by jungle 

 tribes or sold for soap-making. The oil cake is employed 

 for feeding cattle. 



No. 348. Seeds and oil of the Mee or Illupi {Bassia 

 longifolia^ L.), a large evergreen tree of India. The 

 flowers are eaten in the same way as those of the last- 

 named species, and the oil expressed from the seeds is used 

 for similar purposes to that of Mahwa. The leaves, bark, 

 and young fruit are used medicinally. 



In the next compartment observe the seeds and vege- 

 table butter of B. hutyraceay Roxb. The solid white oil 

 obtained from these seeds is of the consistence of lard. 

 It keeps a long time without deteriorating, and is said to 

 make good soap and candles. It is perfumed and used as 

 an ointment in rheumatism. 



The pulp of the fruit is eaten, and in Sikkim the bark 

 is employed as a fish poison. 



Note seeds of Diiilocnema sebifera^ Pierre, believed to 

 be the source of the vegetable fat exported from Borneo 

 under the name of MiNJAK Tankawang. A sample of 

 the fat is shown. Observe also wood, bark and Getah 

 SUNDEK from Payena Leerii, Benth. and Hook, f., Perak. 

 It is a tree growing from 80 to 100 feet high, and yields a 

 second-rate variety of Gutta Percha and is probably also 

 the source of Getah Sundi of Sumatra. 



No. 349. Balata, the inspissated juice of the Bul- 

 let or Bully Tree {Mimusops globosa^ Gaertn.), a large 

 forest tree of tropical America. Balata is analogous to 

 Gutta Percha, for which it is employed as a substitute in 

 some industries where the use of the best quality of Gutta 

 is not imperative ; it is chiefly produced in the Guianas 

 and Venezuela, from whence it is exported to European 

 countries. 



