20 GtJMS. 
value of gum arabics is from £1 to £5 per cwt. Ceylon 
imports the gum for mucilages and for medicinal use. 
GUM TRAG AC A NTH is the product of various species 
of Astragalus found in Greece and W. Asia. Itflows naturally 
or from artificial wounds. The best kind is Smyrna gum ; 
others are Syrian and Morea tragacanths. The typical 
form is leafy, with striated cross markings, but some kinds 
are thread-like or in pellets. The colour is whitish, the gum 
translucent. Tragacanth consists of bassorin mixed with a 
soluble gum. It is used in making colours and in printing, 
and by shoemakers for giving a gloss to leather; also in 
medicine. 
A group of bassorin gums, known as Bassora, Kutira, or 
Hog Gums, mostly Indian, furnish inferior tragacanths to 
the market. They are mentioned below. 
B.—MINOR GUMS. 
Acacia arabica (Karuvel, T.; FI. Cey.,IL, 122*), the Babul of India, 
x a- *^ zone ’ y ields aa arabin gum, used | n calico printing in 
* f °° d * A ‘ <M ’ h Wmd ” ^ Cutch of a 
ultr: WiUd -.the Australian Black Wattle, planted in the 
montane zone, yields an insoluble gum, used in Australia in 
isinglass for jellies, or mixed with glue for sizing leather in 
the Cassie Flower of India, native of America 
I in the low-country, yields an arabin gum. 
L. (Madatiya, S.; Anaikuntumani, T.; FI. 
n low-country, often planted, is said to yield 
oBae, ; FI. 
w country, is said to give a fair arabin gum. 
A Ibizzia amara, Boiv. (UyiL T.; FI Cev n mi • ^ t 
rare, is said to yield a giod rtbi^ ’ 130) ’ “ ** 
* References thus i 
» Trimens Flora of Ceylon, 1893-1900. 
