ALOES. 



629 



the AYest Indies, is exceedingly simple. When the plant has 

 arrived at proper maturity, the laborers go into the field with 

 tubs and knives, and cut the largest and most succulent leaves 

 close to the stalk ; these are placed upright in the tubs, side 

 by side, so that the sap mry flow out of the wound. Some- 

 times a longitudinal incision is made from top to bottom 

 of the leaf, to facilitate the discharge. The crude juice thus 

 obtained is placed in shallow flat-bottomed receivers, and exposed 

 to the sun until it has acquired sufScient consistency to be 

 packed in gourds for exportation. Jn preparing the coarser 

 Ivind, or horse aloes, the leaves are cut into junks and thrown 

 into the tubs, there to lie till the juice is pretty well drained out; 

 they are then squeezed by the hand, and water, in the proportion 

 of one quart to ten of juice, is added, after which it is boiled to 

 a due consistence and emptied into large shallow coolers.. 



The following analysis by M. Edmond Eobiquet of a specimen 

 of Socotrine aloes, obtained from M. Chevallier, is given in the 

 sixth volume of the "Pharmaceutical Journal," p. 277. The 

 constituents in 100 parts were : — 



Pure aloes (Aloetine) .... 85.00 



Ulmate of potash . . . .2.00 



Sulphate of lime , . . . 2.00 



Carbonate of potash . . . .\ 



lime . . . . ; traces. 



Phosphate of lime . . . . ) 



Gallic acid . . . . .0.25 



Albumen . . . . .8. 



The true Socotrine aloes is the produce of A. Socotrina, which 

 grows abundantly in the island of Socotra in the Indian 

 Ocean. Lieutenant Wellstead says, the hills on the west side 

 of the island are covered for an extent of miles with aloe plants. 

 The aloe grows spontaneously on the limestone mountains of 

 Socotra, from 500 to 3,000 feet above the level of the sea. 

 The produce is brought to Tamarida and Colliseah, the prin- 

 cipal town and harbor for exports. In 1833, the best quality 

 sold for 23. a pound, while for the more indifferent the price 

 was 13d. The value is much impaired by the careless manner in 

 which the aloes is gathered and packed. Aloes once formed 

 the staple of its traffic, for which it was chiefly resorted to ; but 

 only small quantities are now exported. It was formerly 

 shipped by the way of Smyrna and Alexandria, but is usually 

 now brought by the way of Bombay ; ]Melinda, on the Zanzibar 

 coast, and Maccula on the Ai'abian shore, furnish the greater 

 part of that sold in Europe as Socotrine aloes. It comes home 

 in chests or packages of 150 to 200 lbs. wrapt in skins of the 

 gazelle, sometimes in casks holding half a ton or more. It is 

 somewhat transparent, of a garnet or yellowish red color. The 

 smell is not very unpleasant, approaching to myrrh. Socotrine 

 aloes, although long considered the best kind, is now below Bar- 

 bados aloes in commercial value. 



