VI 



In our last Number, we referred to the employment of 

 magnesian limestone, — a common mountain rock in certain 

 parts of the country, — as a material for the production of 

 Epsom Salt. We have since become acquainted with the 

 fact, that in consequence of the comparatively high price of 

 the imported article, Glauber Salt is largely introduced to 

 India, crystallized in imitation of Epsom Salt, for which it is 

 sold by wholesale, a circumstance which (although there 

 may be nothing very dissimilar in the properties of the two 

 articles) in our opinion, ought to weigh greatly in deter- 

 mining the adoption of such measures as may be reason- 

 ably suggested for improving the supply of such things from 

 our own resources, were it for no other reason than to check 

 such practices as the one adverted to. 



The question presents itself to us in a different point of 

 view from that of its mere relation to medicine. 



Thus in the article Epsom Salt, its production here would 

 improve the demand for sulphur, as well as the local con- 

 sumption of nitre ; while it would afford carbonate of mag- 

 nesia, a more costly and portable article, which might thus 

 probably become an export ; at the same time it would pro- 

 mote the demand for the impure native carbonate of soda, 

 another natural production that might thus become much 

 more valuable than it is at present. 



Again, to take another instance, and not a theoretical 

 one, for the object has been tried ; we allude to the distilla- 

 tion of oil of turpentine from the resin of Pinus longifolia, 

 which constitutes extensive forests now useless in the hill 

 provinces of this Presidency. It is we believe the Gunda 

 Berosa of the Bazars. We do not know that it has ever 

 yet been exported ; but 12,000 tons of a corresponding 

 article are annually imported into England from the United 

 States. 



We have ascertained, that the resin of Pinus loiigifolia, 

 affords on distillation one-eighth part of its weight of pure 



