Calcutta.] 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



293 



Myrabolans are dried fruits of the plum kind, brought from Bengal 

 and other parts of the East Indies; there are five kinds of them, viz. 



I. India Myrabolans are a small long fruit, of the size of a finger's 

 end, black without and within, without stone, and very hard. Chuse such 

 as are black, plump, and dry, of a sharpish astringent taste, and the heaviest 

 that can be procured. 



II. Chebdlic Myrabolans, Hur or Hurra nuts, very much resemble 

 a date, but are rather larger and longer, and have five corner ridges, of a 

 yellowish brown colour. These should be chosen fleshy and plump, the 

 least wrinked and black that is possible : such as are resinous within, of a 

 brownish colour, an astringent taste, with a little bitterness, are to be pre- 

 ferred. — The plant is the Tenninalia Chcbula {Har and Hara, Hind. 

 Ilaritaca, San.) 



III. Bellerick Myrabolans are a small fruit, from the Terminalia 

 Belerica (Bakira, Hind. Vibhi-tac.u, San.) of the bigness of a nutmeg, of a 

 reddish yellow without, and yellowish within, having a stone with a kernel ; 

 this sort is of little value. 



IV. Emblick Myrabolans are about the size of a gall-nut, rough and 

 ridged on the outside; the plumpest and blackest of these are most 

 esteemed. — The plant is the PhyUanthvs Emblica (Aonla, Hind. Amalaci, 

 San.) 



V. Citron Myrabolans. — This kind grows in various parts of India, 

 more particularly about Goa and on the Malabar Coast ; they are about the 

 size of a French plum, having a stone with a white kernel. The natives 

 frequently candy them. Chuse the citron myrabolans of a reddish or 

 golden yellow colour, well fed, heavy, and hard to break, and of an astringent 

 disagreeable taste ; such as are decayed, should be rejected. — The plant is 

 distinguished by the name Terminalia Citrina (Caduray^ Telinga.) 



Mcnjeet, Rubia Manjifh (Manjifh, Hind. Manjishfha, San.) is a 

 species of madder-root, imported from Bengal. The roots are long and 

 slender, and when broken, appear of a fine red colour, having a yellowish 

 pith inside; it imparts to water a dark red tincture, and its smell somewhat 

 resembles liquorice root. Freight 16 Cwt. to a ton. 



Opium {Afiun, Hind. Offion, Arab.) is the produce of the Papaver 

 somnifentm (Post, Hind. CVwsa, San.), whose root and stem become pretty 

 large, and abound with a bitter juice. It is cultivated in great abundance in 

 the province of Bahar, and in other parts of Bengal. The stalk of this 

 plant rises to the height of three or four feet, and produces long indented 

 leaves, resembling those of the lettuce, while the flower has the appearance 

 of a tulip. When at full growth, an incision is made at the top of the plant. 



