ON  THE  KINO  TREE  OF  WEST  AFRICA. 
519 
appearance  at  the  end  of  April  or  early  in  May.  They  again 
disappear  in  October  and  November,  and  are  not  seen  during 
the  intervening  period,  or  until  the  ensuing  spring.  Numerous 
papilionaceous  flowers  of  a  light  yellow  tint,  emitting  a  delicate 
odor,  nearly  resembling  that  of  the  cowslip  [Primula  veris},  and 
diffusing  a  delightful  fragrance  throughout  the  surrounding  at- 
mosphere, may  be  observed  in  the  months  of  February  and  March, 
at  the  period  when  the  branches  are  entirely  deprived  of  leaves, 
and  previous  to  the  commencement  of  their  budding.  The  fruit, 
a  small  orbicular  pod,  is  covered  with  bristles,  and  ripens  in  June 
and  July.  The  trunk  is  inverted  with  a  greyish-colored  bark  of 
various  shades,  which,  as  the  tree  advances  towards  maturity,  be- 
comes deeply  corrugated,  and  broken  into  irregular  longitudinal 
fissures,  transversely  intersected  at  intervals  by  others  of  less 
length  but  more  superficial,  so  as  to  leave  isolated  projections  or  ex- 
crescences. The  inner  surface  is  smooth,  of  a  deep  red  color,  with 
longitudinal  fibres,  cemented  throughout  their  extent,  and  partial- 
ly saturated  by  the  gummiferous  principle,  which  invariably  issues 
forth  wheresoever  the  bark  has  been  wounded  or  removed  from 
the  tree.  This  portion  of  the  cortical  substance,  when  chewed, 
leaves  a  pleasant  aromatic  and  astringent  effect  on  the  palate, 
that  remains  for  a  considerable  time.  It  is,  therefore,  between 
this  and  the  exterior  layer,  that  the  liquid  kino  is  most  plentiful. 
The  gum,  when  it  naturally  exudes,  is  in  limited  quantities  be- 
tween the  crevices  of  the  bark,  and  cannot  be  readily  detected 
on  account  of  the  external  crust  being  black,  and  unless  the 
cortex  has  been  purposely  abraded  or  incised  with  the  view  of 
obtaining  a  larger  amount,  is  likewise  somewhat  difficult  of  col- 
lection. The  exudation,  as  it  first  appears,  is  of  a  pale  and 
dirty  reddish  hue,  more  copious  and  of  greater  liquidity,  if  the 
younger  branches  or  twigs  are  cut.  This  gradually  darkens  in 
color  in  proportion  as  it  becomes  exposed  to  the  air,  and  as  the 
exsiccation  is  effected,  assumes  a  ruby  tint,  which  time  deepens 
more  and  more. 
In  general,  the  African  kino  oozes  forth  in  very  superficial 
layers,  remarkably  friable  and  brittle,  and  adheres  with  such  te- 
nacity to  the  abraded  surfaces,  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
procure  any  quantity  without  being  conjoined  with  a  portion  of 
the  wooden  fibre.    Hence  the  gum  will  always  be  found  to  have 
