532 ON THE ECONOMIC APPLICATION OF BARKS. 



It is very thick, heavy and ligneous, of a dull deep brown colour, 

 the outer surface covered with patches of a thickish white cuticle. 



Avicennia nitida, Jacq. — A native of British Guiana, where it is 

 known as " Courida," produces a bark valued amongst the natives for 

 its use in tanning. It is thin and somewhat brittle, the outer surface of 

 a dusky grey colour, the inner having the appearance of being partly 

 charred or scorched by heat. 



Cassia avriculata, L. — A shrub common on waste land in various 

 parts of the East Indies, where the bark is in great repute, both for 

 tanning and also for dyeing leather of a buff colour. It is known by the 

 name of " Turwur." 



Betula alba, L. — The common birch, a native of the colder parts of 

 Europe. The bark of this tree is much used in Scotland for tanning 

 the lighter kinds of leather, and an oil is extracted from it which is 

 used for dressing the well known Russian leather ; the peculiar smell of 

 this leather is said to be caused entirely by the use of this oil. The 

 bark is also used in Lapland for tanning purposes, and in Scotland a 

 wine is made from the sap of the tree. 



Castanea vesca, Gaertn. The Spanish Chestnut. — This well known 

 tree is now widely distributed over all parts of Europe and North 

 America. It is supposed to have been originally a native of Asia 

 Minor. The chestnut tree grows to a large size and a great age. In 

 Piedmont the bark is used for tanning, and is said to impart a very dark 

 colour to the skins tanned with it. 



Larix Europaa, Dec. — The common larch is a native probably of 

 Asia, and was introduced at the commencement of the 1 7th century, but 

 it was not till about the middle of the 18th century that it was cultivated 

 as a forest tree. It flourishes well in this country, but is more abund- 

 antly grown in Scotland than any other part. Its bark is much used 

 among the Scotch, chiefly for tanning the leathers used in bookbinding. 

 It is likewise used as a tanning substance in England as well as in 

 America. 



Bucida Buceras, L. — A tree growing twenty or thirty feet high, 

 native of Jamaica and other West Indian Islands. The bark is said to 

 be highly prized for its astringent properties in tanning. It is called in 

 Antigua, " French oak ;" in Jamaica, " Black olive." 



Conocarpus racemosa, L. — A shrub or small tree growing in marshes 

 on the sea-coast of the "West Indian Islands and the neighbouring con- 

 tinent of South America. The bark is very largely used in Rio Janeiro 

 for tanning purposes. The plant is one of the many known among the 

 natives as mangroves. 



Dyeing Barks. 



Berberis vulgaris, L. — A shrub or small tree sometimes found grow- 

 ing to a height_of eighteen to twenty feet. It is a native of Europe and 

 Western Asia, 'and formerly grew in abundance in hedges in this 

 country, but a groundless belief prevailed that corn growing in the 



