2 -k 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[July 13, 1872. 
under the form of vegetable napbtlia ; E. v iniinalis, I 
LabilL, or “ manna gum-tree,” so called from a sweet 
saccharine substance, a sort of manna, that it excretes 1 
abundantly in the spring time from the leaves and 
young branches ; E. citriodora, Hook., or “ citron- 
scented gum, deriving its name from a very abun¬ 
dant volatile oil, easily obtained by distillation; E. 
melliodora, Cunn.; E. odorata , Sclil.; E. persici- 
folia, Lodd., or “ blackbutt,” the leaves of which 
yield an agreeably-scented volatile oil by distilla¬ 
tion; and E. oleosa, “or Mallee-tree,” which, under 
the name of mallee-scrub, covers immense tracts in 
Australia. This last species contains a considerable 
quantity of essential oil in its leaves ; and one of 
the towns that spring up as by enchantment in the 
gold regions, was lor a long time lighted by gas ex¬ 
tracted from this source. In the summer, the leaves 
and yoimg branches are covered with a saccharine 
substance, sometimes so abundant that it resembles 
hoar frost. It is an excretion produced by the punc¬ 
tures of myriads ol larvae of a hemipterous insect. 
^\e have thus briefly referred to some of the 
principal species of Eucalyptus mentioned by M. 
Wattel as more or less capable of acclimatization in 1 
Southern Europe, Algiers, Egypt and similar lands. 
In a further notice we propose to give some details 
respecting some of the economic products of the 
genus that may be supposed to be of more particular 
interest to pharmacists. 
THE SPONGE FISHERY ON THE 
TUNISIAN COAST.* 
. Sponges are found on the whole length of the Tunis¬ 
ian coast, but, apparently, not in sufficient numbers to 
theii collection profitable, except in the shallows 
of Earkenah, Jerhar, Zarsis, and Biban. These shallows 
extend from Has Kadijah and Bir Capoudia to Terna, a 
length of 45 miles. Those of Earkenah jut out 18 to 
20 ™ lles 5 these of Jerbah from 15 to 20, and the Biban 
shallows, being off an open beach, only from 3 to 4 
miles. The maximum depth of these waters ranges 
from 12 to 7o feet. The Zarsis bank is about 18 miles 
from the coast. The shallows of the Island of Jerbah, 
the Zarsis Bank, Ras el Ghzira, Biban, Chneies and 
near Gflis have sandy and rocky bottoms, whilst those 
ol the other fishing grounds are muddy. 
Sponges grow either on rocky, sandy, or muddy bot¬ 
toms, but the greater the depth the better the quality, 
both as regards texture and shape. In winter -ood 
sponges are fished off Earkenah, Agir, to the South of 
tiej j ba jb and Biban, and m summer on the Zarsis Bank 
and off Sefia and Legim ; but the best are found on the 
uT S - i c th i° ^ 8 ? et ot Camonte s and off the village of 
Hataj el Scherki near Earkenah. The inferior qualities 
are procured from the shallows off Scebba and Luesa, 
whilst those coming from Chneies and Marabut, in the 
Gulf of Ehabs, are the least esteemed of all, owin- to 
their roots being red and quite rotten. ° 
• Tunisian sponges are of the quality generally known 
in trade as horse sponges,” and are used for washing- 
house-floors, carnages horses, etc. They are somewhat 
similar to those from the Bahamas, and other West Indian 
islands, although they are stronger, more elastic, and 
absorb a greater quantity of water, whereby they have 
a higher market value than the American sponges. In 
a natural state they are black, covered with aland of 
slnne and contain a certain quantity of mud and sand ; 
their texture is coarse and the honey-combing lar«e 
No fine straw-coloured sponges, such as those comm" 
. from Bengha zi, Asia Minor, and Greece, are found in 
* Abstracted from a ‘ Report on the TlifisialFisHries^bl 
Mr, Green, Her Majesty s Vice-Consul at Tunis. ’ ^ 
Tunis waters, although the native fishermen procure in 
rocky places near Earkenah, Chneies, and Jerbah, small 
yellowish sponges of a fine texture ; but these, known 
under the name of “haggemi,” are comparatively of 
little value, owing to their small size, and seldom realize 
more than from 2 os. to 35s. the cwt. The Timis sponges 
received honourable mention in the London Exhibition 
of 1851. 
The Bey claims fishery rights over all the above 
named waters, and for many years past a third of all 
the sponges fished, whether landed or not on T unisian 
territory, have been considered as belonging to the 
revenue of the Regency, but as the duty is levied with 
difficulty, its collection has generally been adjudged to 
farmers for triennial periods in conjunction with the 
polypi fishery, which is carried on in the same waters. 
These branches of the Revenue have also been conceded 
by the Bey for the benefit of the Tunisian bondholders, 
and the Finance Commission has thought it advisable 
not to change the mode of utilizing it. MM. Colombel 
Freres et Devisme, of Paris, when the sponge and polypi 
duties were sold last year by public auction for a term 
of three years, were declared the highest bidders, and 
they consequently pay to the Finance Treasury an annual 
sum of £2200. 
It. appears, however, that MM. Colombel Freres et 
Devisme find it expedient to follow the example of their 
predecessors, and reduce the duties from a third to a 
quarter on all the sponges collected by the Greek and 
Sicilian fishermen, who are the most expert and indus¬ 
trious,, and who, if they had to give up too large a share 
of their earnings, might abandon the fishery or have 
recourse to evasion of the farmers’ duties. The foreign 
fishermen pay the duty in kind, the sponges being al¬ 
ready washed. 
Besides the annual payment of £2200 to the Tunis¬ 
ian Exchequer, the farmers have a yearly outlay of 
about £650 for agents and guards. In order, therefore, 
that they should not be losers by the undertaking, the 
two fisheries should produce at least £11,000 per annum. 
It is also necessary that they should themselves be en¬ 
gaged in the sponge trade, for they cannot calculate 
upon the native boats, which number from 250 to 300, 
collecting more than £3500 value of sponges in a season, 
and consequently if other merchants do not send for 
Greek and Sicilian fishermen, the farmers must do so, 
in order that an average harvest may be assured. 
The markets for the sale of sponges are held at Sfax 
and at Jerbah from November until March. The 
sponges are generally unwashed, and disposed of in 
lots of 100 each, of all sizes, including “dead” sponges, 
viz., those detached by natural causes from their place 
of growth and found either floating on the sea or washed 
on the beach, and pieces of torn sponges strung in 
bunches. Each lot, therefore, varies in value, according 
to the quantity of “scarti,” or refuse, it may contain; 
but, as a.general rule, to form 1 cwt. of good, washed 
sponges, it is necessary to purchase ten lots, or 1000 
unwashed and unsorted sponges, thus bringing the price 
to about 3s. 11 d. per lb., as wall be perceived from the 
following approximate statements :— 
Piastres. Piastres. 
1 cwt. assorted and washed 
sponges formed out 
of ten lots of the un¬ 
washed and unselected 
article, bought at 
.per lot 80 = 800 
Preparing the Sponges . .10 
Export duty on 1 cwt. . . 31 | 
- 41J 
Brokerage, etc., 5 per cent. . . . 42" 
883§ = £22. ls.dd. 
