THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



NOTES AND QUERIES ON ASIATIC COPALS. 



BY M. C. COOKE. 



Notwithstanding all the additions which have of late years been 

 made to our knowledge of the sources of economic products, there still 

 remain some to be determined, and many doubts concerning others to 

 be cleared up. Every effort, however small, to clear up mysterious 

 synonymy, or determine the true origin of articles of commerce or con- 

 sumption, is of interest to the Technologist ; and, trivial as may 

 appear, the few notes now hastily collected together, I trust that they 

 will not be found utterly valueless. There are many difficulties in the 

 way of procuring the information we seek, and one of the chief of these 

 is the want of interest in the subject by the majority of those who have 

 really the best opportunity for affording us assistance. Travellers find 

 nothing in such a pursuit to render their narrative more interesting to 

 the public. Merchants consider the fluctuations in the market prices of 

 their commodities of far more importance than their ultimate sources, 

 and Seamen of all ranks study to forget all such commissions, which 

 promise a certain trouble, but a very prospective profit. We must there- 

 fore pick up such small scraps of information as may come to hand in 

 the form of " waifs and strays," and be thankful. 



For many years we have received from somewhere in the East Indies, 

 by way of Singapore, and probably other ports, resinous substances 

 called either Copal or Dammar. Amine" must be left out of the en- 

 quiry altogether, since what is called Bombay Anime, or Indian Anime, 

 is known to be an East-African product, re-shipped from Bombay and 

 other ports. 



The commercial resins of these regions of Southern Asia and the 

 Archipelago, according to trade lists, are confined to East Indian Copal, 



VOL. IV. U 



