294 



Yields the true " gum arabic " of commerce, usually known as 

 " Kordofan," " Picked Turkey," " White Senaar," or " Senegal gum" ; 

 graded according to colour, size, and general appearance, as " Middle 

 White," "Middle sittings "; "Very large," "Large," "Middle" or 

 " Small " Brown ; " Red" ; "Washed," &c. (Mus. Kew). It is used 

 for giving lustre to crape and silk, for thickening colours and mor- 

 dants in calico printing, in the manufacture of ink and blacking, as 

 a mucilage, for confectionery and for medicinal purposes. 



It is more abundant in the dry season, exuding usually at the 

 bifurcation of the branches. In Kordofan the gum is obtained 

 from both wild and cultivated trees, and in the gardens or "geneinas" 

 the trees are artificially cut — strips of the outer bark being removed — 

 shortly after the rains cease ; the first collection is made about 60 

 days after cutting and the garden is completely picked over every 

 fourth day afterwards until the rains begin again and new leaves 

 appear, at which stage the exudation ceases. Young trees, 3-4 years 

 old, 8 to 10 ft. high and 6 to 8 in. in girth produce gum, and the 

 period of production is given at from 3 to 20 years. A plantation of 

 about 10 acres has been estimated to yield from 1200 to 1500 lbs. of 

 gum in the course of a season (Muriel, Indian Forester, xxviii. 1902, 

 p. 54 ; Col. Rep. Misc. No. 63, 1909, p. 143). The gum exudes freely 

 from the stem and branches during the dry season in Bornu and at 

 once forms tears of a beautiful amber colour (Wallace, Col. Rep. 

 Ann. No. 551, 1907, p. 75). 



" Kolkol " gum from the Bornu Province was valued in London 

 (Jan. 1910) at 24s. per cwt. for large grade, 27s. for medium grade, 

 and 28s. per cwt. for small grade ; the colour and strength of the 

 large grade was of excellent quality for use in confectionery, being 

 described by the manufacturers as similar to good Galam (Senegal) 

 (Bull. Imp. Inst. 1910, p. 359). 



Gum Arabic or Gum Acacia realized (April, 1911) 54s. per cwt. for 

 " fine white Soudan " (Chem. & Druggist, April 15th, 1911, p. 59). 



The exports from Nigeria (of " Gums," which may include other 

 sorts) for 1908, was 1,136,531 lbs., value £9532 ; and in 1909, 

 730,348 lbs., value £6264 (Govt. Gaz. S. Nigeria, App. B. 13th Feb. 

 1910). 



The total imports into England from Nigeria in 1908, quoted as 

 " Gum Arabic," were given at 10,540 cwts., value £12,719 ; in 1909, 

 7720 cwts., value £8945 ; and from all sources in 1908, 63,786 cwts., 

 value £95,363 ; in 1909, 84,710 cwts., value £134,136— including 

 Asiatic Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Persia, Aden, N. & S. Nigeria, F.W. 

 Africa, British India, and in course of transit, Germany, France, and 

 Austria Hungary (Trade of the United Kingdom, i. 1910, p. 120). 



Senegal and Kordofan are the most important centres of the trade 

 in gum arabic ; the principal markets, Antwerp, Barcelona, Bor- 

 deaux, Hamburg, Havre, Liverpool, London, Marseilles, Melbourne, 

 New York and Trieste. Confectioners are probably the largest users. 



May be propagated by seed, the special requirements being sandy, 

 well-drained soil and a dry, hot climate. According to Dalziel it is 

 common in the Northern Provinces, but is there rarely more than a 

 shrub or small tree (Kew Bull. 1910, p. 135 ; q.v. for further par- 

 ticulars of this and other species yielding " Falli " and " Marrua " 

 gum in N. Nigeria). 



Large quantities of the best gum arabic are obtainable in Bornu, 

 (Lugard, Col. Rep. Ann. No. 516, 1907, p. 81) where large forests are 



