3i 



Palembang in' Sumatra. He, however, confused with it another 

 species called by Blume D. accedens with broader leaflets and 

 more ovoid fruit, the D. ruber of Blume a native of Java. 



Dragon's blood is exported from Singapore and Batavia. A 

 good deal of it comes from Sumatra and Borneo, chiefly it is said 

 Banjermasin. It is exported in two forms: Reed Dragon's blood in 

 the form of sticks of various lengths and J to i inch in thickness, 

 wrapped in leaves usually of the Licuala palm, Daun Palas and 

 Lump Dragon's blood in blocks or irregular lumps. It is dark 

 coloured outside of a deep reddish black, but small fragments of 

 the resin are transparent and brilliant crimson. Specimens of 

 good lump, and also of the powdered resin, have not rarely been 

 exhibited at the agricultural exhibitions. There seems to be 

 several forms known in the trade of different value according to 

 their brightness of colour. In a paper by Dr. Dobbie and Mr. 

 G. G. Henderson published in the Pharmaceutical Journal, 

 November ioth, 1813, an account of the chemistry of a number 

 of samples of Dragon's blood is given. The samples fall into 

 four classes. The first is brick red in colour, and dissolves 

 readily in alcohol, ether and carbon bisulphide and benzine. 

 This form comes from Singapore and Sumatra, and is the 

 product of Dcemonorops -Draco (and probably also of our species 

 D. propinquus). 



The second is of a beautiful carmine red and melts at a 

 higher temperature, 100c, dissolves freely in alcohol, ether and 

 chloroform, but does not dissolve in carbon bisulphide, or 

 benzine. These samples came from the " Dutch East Indies 

 and Pontianak. This is probably the product of D. Draconcellus 

 Becc. 



The third sample is not derived from the East Indies and is 

 the produce of a Dracaena from Socotra. The fourth, a reddish 

 brown colored resin, is a mixture and perhaps may also be not 

 produced by the Daemonorops. 



Dragon's blood is chiefly used for a coloring matter for 

 varnish, and also for coloring plasters and tooth powders. The 

 Dyaks use it for coloring, their woodcarving, mats and other 

 artistic works. 



The process of preparing it is stated to be by pounding the 

 husks of the Rattan fruit to powder and passing it through a 

 sieve in order to separate the larger portions of the shells. The 

 powder is then either treated in the sun, or steamed in a closed 

 vessel till it is soft when it is pressed into blocks or moulded 

 into sticks. It becomes quite hard and of a dark colour when 

 thus made up. I have no information as to what methods are 

 used by the Malays of the Peninsula for making up the product. 



The following account of Dragon's blood was lately published 

 by Mr. E. M. Holmes in the Pharmaceutical Journal, and is here 

 reprinted : — 



