Sept. 1, 1902.] Supplement to the Tropical AgricuUutisi. 
219 
ask what makes the difference between nu ovule 
and a seed ? The chief difference is that t^ie 
seed contains a minute plant called the embryo, 
and the ovule does not. This minute i)lant is 
formed in the ovule as the result of a jirocess 
known as fertilisation, that is the influence of 
the pollen of the stamens upon the ovary of 
the flovver and the ovules within it, resulting 
in the ovary and its ovules being transformed 
into fruit and seeds. 
A seed may be said to consist of the following 
part : — (1) a seed coat, inside which are contained 
(2) the embryi) or minute plant with a very 
minute stem and root and one or two seed leaves 
called cotyledons, with (3) a store of nutriment 
for the developement of the young plant in the 
earliest stages of growth and until it can suppl.y 
food for itself. A seed may be compared to an 
egg, which also has a shell, a little embryo, 
■wiiich develops into a chicken, and a store of 
nutriment consisting of the red and white parts 
of the egg. 
When the seed is put into the ground, under 
favourable conditions, it develops a young plant, 
just as au egg by the process of " hatching " 
produces a chicken, both having developed from 
an embryo nourished by the store of nutriment 
supplied to them. Some seeds are large as in 
the coconut, others are small as in paddy or 
mustard. Seeds vary much in colour and are 
sometimes mottled as in the castor oil. Seeds are 
smooth as in baudakka or hairy as in cotton. But 
all these differences you can observe for yourselves, 
and it would bo very interesting to make a collection 
of seeds and note how they differ. The store of 
nutriment provided for the nourishment of the 
embryo is what gives value to all cereals as food, 
(just as it gives value to the egg as an article of 
diet) whether it be wheat, oat, barley, paddy, 
Indian-corn, beans or other kind of seeds. This 
nourishing portion is what has been provided 
for the development of the young plant, but 
which man appropriates for his own use. 
«, 
TANNING MATERIALS. 
Ceylon, like India, is rich in tan-producing 
trees, and Mr. D. Hooper's list of Eaw Stuffs con- 
taining tannin with notes on their composition, 
ka., {Affricultuml Ledger, No. 1 of iy02) deals with 
many trees conjmon to both countries. The notes 
contain valuable information, and we therefore 
reproduce those of special interest from a local 
point of view. Allowance has, of course, to be 
made for different localities, for it is well-known 
that the proportion of tannin varies considerably 
in samples obtained from different places. Still 
the information given is a fair indication 
of the utility of local tati-producing trees. 
In the following table the highest percentages 
obtained in examination by analysis of tanuiny 
materials i- given : — 
Termimilia chebula ... ... Wood 2S'6 
Kliizoph^ra mucronata... ... „ I'G'i) 
t'uriops CaiidoUeana . . ... „ M"2 
Cassia auricnlai a ... ... „ 2;^'0 
Ceriops Roxburghiann... ... ,, lO-i! 
Acacia dealbata 
Wood 
17-8 
,, arabica 
,, 
16'7 
,, leucophlea 
M 
16'2 
Bruguiera gymnorhiza... 
,, 
16"2 
jjllucZJu ictiHoil ... 
... , , 
low 
Kandelia Kheedii 
12-2 
Casuiirina equisetifolia 
,, 
IM 
Cassia fistula 
... ,, 
9-0 
Acacia catechu 
68 
Pterocarpus marsupium 
... Bark 
.5-4 
Terminalia chebula (Sin. Aralu). — The fruits 
of this tree, well-known as chebulic myrobalans, 
are a valuable tanning agent. They are 
collected largely and exported to Europe. The 
dried fruits are extremely rich in gallotanaic acid 
and require no preparation except powdering or 
crushing in a mill. Some recent (1900) analyses 
by Dr. Leather of samples from different parts of 
India indicate that the tannin present varies 
from .^1 to 43"74 per cent. 
The fruits should be collected before maturity, 
otherwi.5e tliere is apt to be variation in their 
strength. The oblong pointed solid fruits are 
much superior to the round and inflated ones. The 
astrigent principle lies in the outer pulp of the 
fruit, the stone-like kernel containing hardly any. 
(This is a fact that does not appear to be recog- 
nised locally.) The fruits are not liable to de- 
terioration, so that it is more economical to export 
them in their natural condition. The extract 
(varying from 57'87 to o9"47) made in open pans 
tends to absorb moisture and to ferment when 
exposed to the air. It would therefore not be 
satisfactory to prepare a tannin extract from 
myrobalans, unless made with skilled appliances. 
(The preparation of such extracts will he de.^cribed 
later.) A factory with vacuum pans has latelj' 
been established in India. 
The bark, too, provides a valuable tan. In 
young trees the proportion of tan is about 33'0, 
not much inferior than in average samples of 
myrobalans. 
The true galls found on the leaves and twigs are 
used in the preparation of ink. 
Terminalia belerica (Sin. Bulu). — The fruit 
is a commercial article under the name of Beleric 
myrobalans, but it is inferior to the chebulic 
variety. Examination of different samples showed 
that the percentage of tannin varied from o to 17'4. 
The nuts are used in the adulteration of ground 
chebulic myrobalans. 
Terminalia catappa (Sin. Jiotamba). — The 
bark of leaves of the country almond give a black 
dye with salts of iron. Wardle in 1887 .-separated 
9 per cent of tannin from Madras bark. (We find 
no reference made to the highly astringent charac- 
tL^r of the " liu.'ik " round the fruit.-.) 
Terminalia Arjuna or glabra (Sin. Kuiiibuk). — 
Tile bark is astringent and is occasionally used for 
dyeing and tanning. Specimens examined yielded 
from S'6 to 16 per cent tannin, giving a blue-black 
colour with ferric salts. The tannin in t^ie fruits 
would seem to be very variable, ranging from 
1-38 to 9-6 per cent, 
Terminaiia iontentosa. — The percentage of 
tannin varied from 5'7 to 13'G ; that in the fruit 
Irom 4 to b'd per cent. The extract is lid to be 
