MTSOBB ANDCOOEG- 8S 



foot. Medicinal properties are attributed to the 

 bark and gum. Cattle feed voraciously on the green 

 leaves, but the latter appear at a time when green 

 forage is usually abundant. Every part of the tree 

 abounds in starch, and hence the facility for pro- 

 pagation by cuttings. But raised by the latter 

 method, the tree soon assumes a contorted habit of 

 growth which renders it very ugly, especially in the 

 deciduous stage. 



Local trees have not fruited, although they 

 flower annually and are- in many cases past maturity. 

 It is not known, therefore, if seedlings would pro- 

 duce shapely trees as they do in the case of " Huva- 

 rasi mara," Thespesia jpopulnea. 

 177 Semecarpus Anacardium, Linn. Kan. Gem, 



Kari gem. 



Fig.-Wight Ic. t 558 ; Bedd. Fl. Syh. t. 166. 



References.— ■Oic^, of Econ. Frod. of Ind.; 

 Pharm. Ind. ; Flora of Brit, Ind. 



, The marking-nut tree. Common in the dry for- 

 ests of Mysore, where it attains a height of 40— 50 

 feet. Leaves deciduous in the beginning of the hot 

 season, simple, coriacious, average blade 20 x 8 in., 

 largest in healthy saplings. Drupe the size of a 

 prune. Wood of little value as it cracks in season- 

 ing. Weight 42 lb. per cubic foot. When growing, 

 it is fuU of an acrid juice which causes irritation and 

 sweUing. Woodmen do not care, on that account, 

 to fell the trees unless they have been previously 

 ringed. ' 



The fleshy receptacle on which the fruit is seated 

 (hypocarpl is generally eaten by the people. The 

 pericarp, or fruit proper, contains an intensely acrid 

 juice which is much employed in native medicine ; 

 it also affords a black varnish, and mixed with lime 

 water, the juice is popularly used for marking linen. 



Although of comparatively little value as a timber 



