MISCELLANEOUS ECONOMIC PRODUCTS 565 



LAC CULTURE 



Lac or Shellac is a resinous substance of an orange-reddish 

 colour, produced by species of scale insects (chiefly Tachardia lacca) 

 which live on the tender branches of certain trees, sucking the 

 juice of the bark and forming a hard secretion known as lac. 

 These incrustations, termed "stick lac," are removed from the 

 trees by cutting the twigs or branches upon which they are formed, 

 the resin being afterwards scraped off, washed and graded for 

 export. The product is then known as " seed " or " grain " lacrwhich, 

 after being melted in boiling water and poured on a cold surface, 

 forms semi-transparent brittle flakes of a deep orange-colour, 

 called shellac. The Indian word lac signifies 100,000, and refers 

 to the large number of insects that emerge from the brood. 

 Shellac burns with a luminous flame, and dissolves in alcohol or 

 in a solution of borax. It is largely used in the manufacture of 

 varnishes, French polish, lacquer, sealing wax, paints, lithographic 

 inks, gramophone records, and in numerous other ways. The 

 residual water in which lac is washed contains a dye of commercial 

 importance. This was at one time highly valued, but since the 

 discovery of synthetic dyes its value has much depreciated. 



There is a constant and large demand for lac, and the value 

 of the quantity produced annually in India is estimated at about 

 five crores of rupees (=about 667,000). Lac has hitherto been 

 practically entirely a forest product, being collected by the peasants 

 from uncultivated trees in the forest or jungles. Its production 

 under a definite system of cultivation has, however, been recently 

 advocated, it being claimed that it can thus be produced more 

 cheaply and in larger quantities than at present. It is asserted 

 that in a suitable climate the cultivation of lac as a bye-product 

 may be made remunerative, the inoculating of trees either culti- 

 vated for other products or grown on pasture or waste lands as 

 shade or shelter trees with the brood lac being easily effected and 

 requiring but little attention. As a secondary crop for the peasants, 

 it would seem to offer prospects of a profitable industry. The 

 work in connection with the crop is light and takes up compar- 

 atively little time, so that it need interfere but little with the 

 grower's ordinary occupation. The necessary tools are few and 

 inexpensive, and very little training is required. 



CLIMATE. A moderate warm climate is considered the 

 most suitable for lac culture, hot winds and a temperature above 

 100. Fah. being injurious to it. Three distinct seasons occur in 



