Am.  Tour.  Pharm  1 
Jan.,  1879.  J 
Gutta-producing  Plants. 
49 
boiling  to  drive  it  off.  It  is  stated  that  from  Klang  eighty-three  piculs  eighty-three 
catties  were  exported  from  January  to  November,  1877  5  so  tnat  lt  1S  probable  over 
700  trees  were  destroyed  to  furnish  that  quantity.  The  gutta  is  generally,  if  not 
always,  exported  in  the  shape  of  oblong  balls,  with  a  loop  at  the  upper  end,  through 
which  a  piece  of  rattan  is  put  to  facilitate  its  being  carried  through  the  jungles. 
These  balls  vary  considerably  in  weight,  but  from  ten  to  twenty  catties  is  about  the 
average.  They  are  of  a  greyish-white  color,  with  a  slightly  reddish  tint  inside. 
The  color,  however,  varies  according  to  the  quantity  of  bark  and  other  impurities 
mixed  with  it;  sometimes  it  is  of  a  bright  umber-brown. 
For  the  cultivation  of  Dichopsis  gutta,  it  is  recommended  that  plants  not  more 
than  a  foot  high  should  be  procured  from  the  jungles  ;  it  is  necessary  to  lift  them 
very  carefully  as  they  have  long  tap  roots  which  are  liable  to  be  broken  or  injured, 
in  which  case  the  plants,  even  if  they  survive,  take  a  long  time  to  recover. 
The  third  kind  of  gutta,  namely,  gutta-rambong,  is  described  as  being  more  of 
the  nature  of  caoutchouc  or  india  rubber.  Mr.  Murton  did  not  find  the  tree  pro- 
ducing it,  and  he  was  informed  by  the  Malays  that  it  was  only  to  be  met  with  in 
the  interior  of  Perak  and  on  the  Patani  side  of  the  Peninsula.  These  people 
describe  the  tree  as  having  large  roots  above  ground,  and  large,  bright-green  leaves, 
with  red  tips  to  the  branches.  The  milk  is  obtained  from  these  large  roots,  which 
are  tapped  ten  or  twelve  times  a  year,  a  picul  being  sometimes  taken  from  a  large 
tree  ;  the  usual  yield,  however,  is  said  to  be  about  half  a  picul.  This  rubber  is  said 
to  require  no  preparation  for  market;  it  has  the  appearance  of  long  strings,  irregu- 
larly welded  together;  the  best  quality  has  a  gum-like  appearance,  is  very  firm  in 
texture  and  of  a  reddish-brown  color;  the  inferior  qualities  have  a  large  admixture 
of  bark,  etc.,  and  are  much  drier  without  the  gum  like  consistency  of  the  better 
qualities.  The  caoutchouc  from  Perak  has  much  the  same  appearance  as  Assam 
rubber,  and  Mr.  Murton  considers  there  is  but  little  doubt  that  it  is  produced  by 
the  same  tree,  Ficus  elastica,  the  description  given  by  the  Malays  agreeing  closely 
with  that  of  the  above-named  plant,  the  red  points  to  the  branches  being  probably 
the  conspicuous  red  stipules  which  envelop  the  young  leaves.  From  the  fact  that 
young  plants  have  been  promised  to  the  Singapore  Gardens,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that 
ere  long  the  origin  of  gutta-rambong  will  be  definitely  settled. 
Another  caoutchouc,  or  india  rubber,  is  gutta- singgarip.  This  agrees  very  closely 
in  texture,  appearance  and  in  the  mode  of  operation  with  the  gutta-soosoo  of  Borneo, 
and  Mr.  Murton  says  that  an  experienced  authority,  who  had  spent  some  time 
among  the  gutta-soosoo  collectors  in  Borneo,  assured  him  that  they  are  one  and  the 
same  product.  The  plant  producing  it  is  a  large  woody  climber,  with  stems  about 
six  or  eight  inches  in  diameter,  but  often  much  less.  There  are  two  varieties,  one 
with  very  dark  colored  outer  bark  and  lighter  colored  warts,  and  red  inner  bark  j 
the  other  with  outer  baik  light  cork-colored,  with  longitudinal  channels,  and  the 
inner  bark  light  yellow.  The  foliage  of  both  plants  are  described  as  being  very- 
similar  to  each  other,  but  the  fruits  differ  in  form,  one  being  apple-shaped  and  the 
other  pear  shaped.  The  fruits  of  both  forms  are  edible,  and  are  readily  sought 
after  by  the  Malays.  The  plants  seem  to  be  species  of  JVilloughbeia,  belonging  to 
the  natural  order  Apocynacea.  The  gutta  from  the  dark-barked  variety  is'considered 
4 
