No. 614] THE USES OF INSECT GALLS 



165 



infect oria, Quercus tauricola and Quercus farnetto (con- 

 ferta). Its use is confined to the locality from which it 

 takes one of its names, Bussorah or Basra. 



This gall has furnished an interesting and somewhat 

 mystifying theme to poets and has been often discussed 

 by old writers who have tried to connect this so-called 

 fruit with some of the unknown fruits mentioned in the 

 Bible. 



In Bussorah or Basra in Asia Minor, probably its native 

 heath, this gall is used by the inhabitants in dyeing Tur- 

 key red, and it is more esteemed by them than the Aleppo 

 gall. 



Analysis.— The following analysis of this gall was made 

 by Bley in 1853: 



Tannic acid 



Fatty oil 



Resin 



Extractive and salt 



Cynips quercus-calycis Burgsdorf 

 The knoppern or acorn gall, also called the Piedmon- 

 tese gall, and gall of Hungary, which is produced on 

 Quercus mgilops, Quercus pedunculated and occasionally 

 on Quercus pubescens and Quercus sessiliftora, occurs in 

 Austria, Hungary, Slavonia, Bosnia, Serbia, Greece, Asia 

 Minor and less abundantly in Germany, Holland, France 

 and Italy. Among the Cynipid galls it ranks next in im- 

 portance to the Aleppo gall and has been almost as fre- 

 quently discussed. 



In Austria it has been used chiefly by the tanners, but 

 has also been substituted by dyers for the Aleppo gall. 

 This gall, like the Aleppo, is at its best before maturity 

 and should be collected from August to October. 



