Descriptions of Malayan Plants, 179 



parent oil is prepared, resembling our Linseed Oil : others 

 put one pound of oil to three of the resin, which are gently 

 heated together, and make a very black varnish. If, how- 

 ever, to one pound of resin, two pounds of oil be added, a 

 varnish of a brownish yellow, and sometimes of a straw- 

 colour, is produced, with which wood is lightly done over, to 

 bring out the grain and veins. Moreover, if while the 

 varnish is heated, red lead, powdered galls, or other dry 

 pigments be added, it gives the same colour to the work 

 upon which it is employed. This liquid varnish ought to be 

 covered with water to prevent its becoming hard. The 

 articles to which the varnish is applied must always be placed 

 in a cool and moist place to dry, which they do slowly ; 

 but when once hardened, the varnish never becomes soft 

 again, except by the suffusion of hot water, which often dis- 

 solves it. 



" The Chinese carry this prepared resin in large pots 

 from Siam and Camboja to Japan, where it is disposed of to 

 great profit. 



The Japanese are the most skilful in preparing and or- 

 namenting all kinds of wooden articles with this varnish, of 

 which they annually use large quantities, their black lacquered 

 works are dispersed, on account of their elegance, to all 

 parts of the world." 



Loureiro says, that the black lacquer is produced by the 

 varnish in its natural state, unmixed with any foreign ingre- 

 dient, and that it is only for producing red and other colours 

 that pigments are added. He gives his Augia as a native 

 of China, Cochin China, Camboja, and Siam ; Rumphius* 

 tree is a native of Java, Celebes, Bah, and other parts of the 

 Archipelago. 



Under the article Sanga, in the Encyclopedic Methodique, 

 a part of Rumphius^ account of this tree is given, but by a 

 singular mistake of the reference to the plate, it is conjec- 

 tured to be a species of Hernandia, an error which the 



