702 



Tamarisk 



Its wood is quite hard and tough, rather strong, coarse-grained, and light red- 

 dish in color. 



The bark is sometimes used in t annin g and dyeing, also the galls caused by 

 the sting of a coleopterous insect, known as Mogador gaUs; these are a source 

 of tannic acid, of which they contain about 40 per cent. A saccharine exudation 

 of this or a closely related species in Arabia, also caused by the pimcture of an 



Fig. 648. — Tamarisk. 



insect, constitutes the Tamarisk or Jews* maima. Crude brushes are made from 

 the twigs. 



The genus, of which our plant is the type species, contains about 60 others, 

 all natives of the Mediterranean region or the East Indies, several of which are 

 cultivated in our gardens. The name is derived from that of an Asiatic river, on 

 which these plants grew in abundance. 



