1841.] the Pundeelah River. 5 1 3 



circumstances of limited demand, to say what further supply these jun- 

 gles might afford. The honey is sold for ten seers the rupee, and sent 

 to Hyderabad. After the rains, and during the cold season, six or seven 

 seers of wax can be purchased for a rupee. 



It may here be mentioned, that the seer of both this and the Sircar 

 of Hunumkondah, consists of fourteen thousand two hundred and twen- 

 ty-seven grains, that is, about half an ounce more than two pounds. 

 The maund is equal to twelve seers. 



Lac. — The jungles in the Sircar, by report, yield this substance in 

 abundance ; but the little demand comparatively speaking, induces few 

 traders to encourage the hill people to bring it in. It is thus impossible 

 to say what the actual supply of Lac really might be without traversing 

 the jungles at the proper season ; but there can be little doubt that it 

 would be ample. A specimen of it is sent. 



Gums. — East India Gum has obtained the bad fame of almost every 

 East Indian production not under the direct superintendence of Eu- 

 ropeans. It is called a spurious inferior article ; — the cause is obvious — 

 the collectors mingle all sorts together, and there being no one to 

 select from the chaos they bring in, to check the admixture of good and 

 bad, or to fix a value on the article, they go in this state to the Euro- 

 pean market with the brand of East Indian. They are soon found, like 

 all mixtures, to be inferior, and the original prejudice acquires at once 

 the stamp of currency, the cause of their inferiority being wholly over- 

 looked. The value of gum depends on its whiteness and solubility. Who 

 has ever separately tested the solubility of the Gums now sent ? at least 

 three of them are not even mentioned in botanical works ? 



Gum 1. — Conacarpus latifolia. This is used by the tusser weaver. 

 Gum 2. — Terminalia tomentosa. 

 Gum 3. — Terminalia bellerica. 

 Gum 4. — Buchanania latifolia. 

 Gum 5. — Garuga pinnata. 

 Gum 6. — Cochlospermum gossypium. 

 Gum 7. — Sterculia urens. 



The two last are nearly similar in their properties to gum traga- 

 canth, and the gum of the Sterculia urens was actually used for some 

 time as a true Astragalus gum ; there can be little doubt but that both 

 are still constantly substituted for it. 



