19 
Part III.] E. Benskin and A. Rodger: Note on Thitsi. 
Whether the effect of sun would really depreciate the value of a 
varnish used solely for indoor purposes is doubtful but, for outdoor 
decoration, such as is met with on the pagodas and shrines in Burma, 
it would be a considerable drawback. The use of this varnish by the 
cabinet-maker would, on account of its black colour, be necessarily 
restricted to a special class o.f work, and the varnish must be thinned 
with a larger percentage of turpentine than when it is used by the 
lacquer-worker. 
To test the suitability of thitsi for varnishing furniture, a sample of 
varnish composed of thitsi, 1 part and Boswellia serrata oil, |th part was 
used for varnishing a toon wood table in the same way as if an ordinary 
varnish were used. 
Three coats were applied which took a total of 6 days to dry ; the 
result was most satisfactory and the resulting appearance compares 
most favourably with furniture varnished with similar imported 
varnishes or enamels. 
For varnishing floors thitsi thinned with turpentine, and with ferric 
oxide as a drying agent, is reported to be of considerable use. 
For enamelling leather, experiments have been carried out with a 
certain amount of success, and should be continued in this direction. 
Besides the samples Nos. 1, 5 and 13, it would appear that samples 
Nos. 12, 14, 15 and 17 might be of some use owing to their quick drying 
properties, but it is a noteworthy fact that the use of ferric oxide con¬ 
siderably dulls the surface of the varnished articles. It is therefore 
considered that the use of ferric oxide should be restricted to the initial 
stages of the lacquer work, as described in the body of this note, since 
in these stages a glossy surface is not essential provided an even surface 
is obtained. 
It seems even that the use of ferric oxide as a drying agent, in the 
initial stages of the lacquer work, would do away with the necessity of 
the underground drying cellar now employed in Burma, and would also 
accelerate the now very lengthy process. For the final stages of lacquer 
work, it will be necessary to use a varnish having a greater, gloss than 
those samples containing ferric oxide, and for this purpose it is suggested 
that thitsi adulterated with gum arabic, provided a suitable thinning oil 
could be found, would be superior to pure thitsi. It is also suggested 
that for the finish shellac would be still better. 
The action of turpentine or Boswellia serrata oil (an oil obtained 
by distillation of the resin of this tree) as a thinning medium in no way 
increases the drying capacity of the varnish, but allows the same to be 
spread in a thinner film ; the use of these mediums is not altogether 
without disadvantages as they cause the thitsi to assume a reddish 
[ 115 ] C 2 
