296 NOTES ON TANNINO SUBSTANCES. 



JPistacia Terebinthus, Atlantica, and Lentiscus ; Rhus pentaphylla^ $fu. — 

 In 1859, Enos Welsford, of Bona, Algeria, took out a patent for tanning 

 with the leaves of these shrubs and trees. 



Fabace^e. — " Leguminous plants are found more or less in every part 

 of the known world, with perhaps the exception of the Islands of Tristan 

 d'Acunha and St Helena, neither of which do they inhabit ; but they are 

 distributed in extremely unequal proportions. In general, they diminish 

 sensibly in approaching the pole. 



" The Leguminous order is not only among the most extensive that are 

 known, but also one of the most important to man, whether we consider 

 the beauty of the numerous species, which are among the gayest-coloured 

 and most graceful plants of every region, or their applicability to a 

 thousand useful purposes." 



Kino is an astringent exudation, which hardens into a brilliant resin- 

 like substance which is much esteemed for tanning, but, from the small 

 supply, is usually too dear. The tree (Pterocarpus Marsupium) yielding 

 the best kind of kino has been found on the eastern coast of the Bay of 

 Bengal, and in some of the forests of Central India, though at one time 

 thought to be confined to the Malabar coast. In India, kino is used for 

 dyeing cotton a nankin colour, and is also employed in medicine. 

 African kino is the product of Pterocarpus erinaceus, but is now un- 

 known in commerce. 



Divi-divi, or Libi-dibi, the wrinkled seed-pods of Ccesalpinia Coriaria, 

 is one of the most astringent of known substances. It is indigenous to 

 South America, but is cultivated in India, where plantations are thriving in 

 the Madras Presidency, having been introduced from South America. The 

 three principal places whence Divi-divi is obtained are Maracaibo, Bio 

 Hache, and Savanilla. Divi-divi is not used to any great extent in this 

 country for tanning ; the leather made with it absorbing moisture too 

 freely, and the colour of the leather is not liked, being of a dark-brown hue. 

 It should be purchased and stored away in the siunmer, as in wet weather 

 it absorbs moisture and is liable to injure. 



Divi-divi is also used as a dye-stuff. 



Teree. — The pods of another Ccesalpinia are used in India for tanning 

 under this name. The tree grows in Chittagong. 



Bauhinia variegata. — The bark of this tree is also used by the 

 natives in India for tanning, dyeing, and as a medicine. 



Turwar. — This bark (Cassia auriculata) is used for tanning at Vizaga- 

 patam, Mysore, and other places in the East Indies. Dr Cleghorn reports 

 it to be the best of the native tanning astringents. 



Acacia Barks. — The barks of the following acacias growing in the 

 East Indies are either used or stated to be suitable for tanning : — Acacia 

 Arabica, Babool bark of the natives, largely used ; Acacia Catechu; and 

 Acacia Farnesiana. The pods of Acacia nilotica, called neb-neb, are used 

 in Nubia for tanning. Acacia horrida bark (Doornboom, or Thorn Tree) is 

 used at the Cape of Good Hope for tanning. 



