54 
ON THE ORIGIN OF SAMOVY ISINGLASS. 
are making rum of it, a sample of which came to England 
this winter. 
The Palmyra and cocoa palms grow to the height of 100 
feet or more, in eight or nine years, and the latter variety 
will for many years yield 500 nuts per annum, a succession 
of fruit being produced on the same tree throughout the 
year ; the Palmyra palm leaves are used for writing pur- 
poses by the natives, they scratch the letters on the leaf with 
a style. 
Were the French colonists at Pondicherry to manufac- 
ture sugar in their own territory, they would not be allowed 
to import it into France. By a treaty between them and 
the East India Company, they abstain from manufacturing 
opium and salt, in consideration of which they are paid by 
the Company a sum of money, sufficient to defray, the ex- 
penses of government both at Pondicherry and Bourbon. 
However, the settlers would prefer being under the rule of 
the British, as they consider their commerce would be bene- 
fitted by it. Pharm. Jour. 
ART. XI— ON THE ORIGIN OF SAMOVY ISINGLASS, 
By Dr. Pereira ; F. R. S. 
Among the numerous kinds of isinglass known in Eng- 
lish commerce, there is one which is well known by the 
name of samovy isinglass. It is imported from Russia in 
three forms, viz, as leaf, booh and short staple, and is in 
considerable demand among brewers for making finings. 
Some doubt has hitherto existed as to its origin. In the 
last edition of the Elements of Materia Medica, I stated 
two reasons for believing that it was the produce of the fish 
