From tlie above I'osults tlie conipositic;)!! uf the manna may 

 tlms be stated : — 



and loss 



Mannite 



= <S9-65 



A glucose 



= 2-87 



Other sugars 



= -ol 



Moisture 



= 3-50 



Asli with sand 



= MO 





97-63 



3y lead-acetate, 







2-37 



100-00 



GUMS. 



Bentli. 

 of the natives. 



by the 



ACACI.V LEIOPHYLLA, 



N.O. LeymninosiK : "Yanwilli' 



Collected 25th October, 1891, on clay soil at the Fraser Ran<'e. 

 Height of shrubs, 4-10 feet. 



Mr. Helms informs me tliat tlvis gum is largely used for food 

 natives, and so higlily is it esteemed by them that they 

 were unwilling to part with even a small quantity of it. In 

 VVestern Australia it has been recorded to yield a useful gum. 

 in an official report it is stated that it " is reconnnended by the 

 medical faculty for its strengthening properties," though it has 

 no more claim to that recommendation than many other wattle- 

 gums have. 



This gum is a perfect substitute for gum-arabic, and would be 

 ^'*|"'''';''*' if obtainable in large quantities. It is readily and 

 entirely soluble in cold water. It would require sorting for the 

 market, as even in the small sample received there are three 

 qualities, portions being quite brown and almost opaque, while 

 other portions are colourless-transparent and yellowish-trans- 

 parent respectively. The gum strongly i-esembles many specimens 

 ot wattle-gums I have examined from the western pai-ts of New 

 Jsouth Wales, i.e., from arid country; the wattle-gums of inferior 

 solubility being obtained from the coast districts, with 

 tively high rainfall. 



Ihe chemical composition of the present sample hardly differs 

 trom that of gum-arabic. ^ . _ _ ^ ' 



!■! per cent, of asli, 

 wnate with a trace of sulphuric acid, but no phosphoi-ic acid. 



' or an account of the composition of Australian Acacia-gums, 

 see my ^^^^^.^ u rpj^g Chemistry and Commercial Possibilities of 

 vv attle-gums," Pharm. Journ. [3], XX., 8G9; 980 (1890). , 



compara- 



the present sample hare 

 It contains 13-2 per cent, of water, 

 which consists principally of calcium car- 



