african gums. 241 



African Gums : — 



1. Gum Arabic, — produced chiefly from Acacia vera and 

 Acacia Arabica. The ' Elect' and ' Common ' sorts are in 

 tears, or hardened drops, varying in size from a pea to that 

 of a pigeon's egg, and in colour from a dull white to dark 

 amber. Imported principally from Barbary and Turkey. 



2. Barbary Gum. — This is uniformly a dark-coloured 

 variety, resembling the common gum arabic ; it is much 

 valued by confectioners for various purposes. It also comes 

 from Northern Africa, chiefly from Mogadore. Supposed to 

 be produced by A. gummifera. 



3. Gum Gedda. — A reddish variety of Barbary gum. 



4. Gum Senegal, — produced partly by A. Senegal and 

 partly by A. Seyal. This gum is in fine large roundish 

 tears, or, occasionally, worm-like masses ; the largest round 

 tears are the size of pigeons' eggs, clear and transparent, 

 with sometimes a slight pink tinge discernible. The external 

 surface is dull and slightly wrinkled from drying, but in- 

 ternally this gum is very clear and transparent ; it is much 

 prized by the manufacturers for dressing silks, crapes, etc., 

 and realizes high prices. It originally came only from Se- 

 negal, whence its name, but it is now found at most of the 

 African ports from Senegal to the Cape of Good Hope. 



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