28 THE WORK OF THE FOREST DEPARTMENT IN INDIA. 



•date. They yield the so-called wood-oil for which there is a 

 great demand in Burma for the manufacture of torches and 

 for oiling soap and caulking boats. It has been suggested as a 

 solvent for caoutchouc. Chemical research may discover new 

 derivatives of this product and thereby increase its market 

 value. 



Thitsi. — The oleoresin derived from Melanorrhoea usitata, 

 <;alled thitsi in Burma, has been employed by Burmans in lacquer 

 work for a long time. The chemical composition of this oleoresin 

 ihas been studied at the Forest Eesearch Institute and its identity 

 with the Japanese urushi or lacquer seems certain. Many 

 •enquiries have been received from Europe and the possibilities of 

 developing the market for this article are considerable. 



{Hi) Gums. 



The number of Indian trees which exude gum is very large, 

 "though only a limited number produce gums of commercial im- 

 portance. The more important uses to which gums are put are 

 for mucilage, medicine, the preparation of sweetmeats, and in 

 the textile and paper industries in connection with calico-print- 

 ing and sizing respectively. 



The most important mucilage gum is that obtained from 

 Acacia arabica, the babul tree. It resembles true gum arable, 

 obtained from Acacia Senegal, which, however, is only avail- 

 able in small quantities in Sind, the Punjab and Rajputana, 

 its true habitat being the Blue Nile. Acacia arabica gum is 

 collected in large quantities in India; in addition to the pur- 

 poses mentioned above it is utilized in fixing paint and white- 

 wash. Fine qualities fetch 8 annas per lb., while a fair average 

 •quotation is 4 annas per lb. 



An important astringent gum is obtained from Pterocarpus 

 Marsupium, and is known on the market as gum kino. The 

 ^um is collected chiefly in South Kanara and North Malabar. 

 It finds its way to Bombay through the small ports on the West 

 Coast and so to England and France, Prices fluctuate con- 

 siderably, 10 to 12 shillings per lb. being a fair average quota- 

 tion. The demand is limited. 



