A CHEMICAL INVESTIGATION OF JAPANESE LAQUOR. 249 



XXVI. On a Chemical Investigation of Japanese Laquor, 

 or Urushi. By Mr. Sadama Ishimatsu, late of Tokio 

 University. Communicated by Professor Roscoe, 

 Ph.D., F.R.S. 



Read February i8th, 18-9. 



The Japanese have a peculiar juice of a plant with which 

 they manufacture their beautiful cabinets and boxes so 

 celebrated all over the world, that, now, those articles 

 varnished in imitation of those which are finished with 

 this juice are termed japanned articles. However, as far 

 as I am aware of, no attempt has yet been made to analyze 

 the substance, and none seem to know what it is. 



During a few months last year I ventured to undertake 

 the examination of this body, so as to afford some clue to 

 those who will have the opportunity of examining this 

 substance in future more fully and perfectly with ample 

 time. 



Urushi and its Cultivation*. 



Japanese laquor is nothing but a sap of a certain kind of 

 tree called Rhus vernicifera, and commonly termed laquor- 

 tree, and growing chiefly between the North latitudes 23° 

 and 38°. The plantation of this tree constitutes one of 

 the most important parts in the agriculture of certain 

 districts of the Empire, and in all the laquor-producing 



* This description is partly derived from a popular account of the urushi 

 manufacture published for the use of Japanese primary schools. A similar 

 statement has been already translated into French by M. Ory, and published 

 in 1875 by tlie French Asiatic Society. 



