^'"ott^'isS^"'"'}  Fseudo-Gutfa  Perchas.  523 
I  think  I  have  given  instances  enough  to  show  how  great  are  the 
possibilities  of  advantage  in  selection  of  the  richest  varieties  of  bark, 
while  the  study  of  soils,  and  the  best  mode  of  manuring  and  of  pre- 
serving the  bark,  offer  a  wide  field  for  profit  to  the  intelHgent  planter. 
It  is  evident  that  if  an  8  per  cent,  bark  can  be  obtained  froni  a  tree 
giving  an  equal  crop  to  those  yielding  1  per  cent,  bark  the  increased 
value  of  the  crop  must  be  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  extra  care 
in  selection.  Whether  planters  will  have  to  adopt  grafting  or  propa- 
gation by  layers  or  cuttings,  or  whether  it  will  prove  practicable  to 
obtain  certain  results  from  selection  of  seed  or  plants,  is  a  matter  of 
experience.  Everything  points  to  a  great  over-production  of  inferior 
bark,  but  there  is  little  fear  of  the  better  qualities  bringing  remunera- 
tive prices  if  wisely  cultivated. — Phar,  Jour,  and  Trans. 
PSEUDO-GUTTA  PERCHAS,^ 
OE  SUBSTANCES  SUPPLEMENTARY  TO  GUTTA  PERCH  A. 
Foremost  amongst  pseudo-guttas,  as  we  use  the  phrase,  stands  Balata 
gum.  It  is  obtained  from  the  Mimusops  Balata  of  Gsertner  (Nat. 
Ord.  Sapotacece)  and  is  synonymous  with  the  Sapota  Mulleri  of 
Bleekrod,  the  Achras  Balata  of  Aublet,  etc.  It  is  found  in  Demerara, 
Berbice,  British  and  French  Guiana,  Antilles,  Jamaica  and  Surinam. 
It  has  many  vernacular  names,  amongst  which  may  be  mentioned, 
Balata,  Paardenvleesch  (Dutch — horse-flesh,)  bullet-tree,  etc. 
One  of  the  first  writers  on  this  substance  was  Professor  Bleekrod, 
who  communicated  some  information  as  to  the  plant  and  its  product 
to  the  Society  of  Arts,  in  1857.  He,  too,  described  the  plant  -and 
named  it  Sapota  Mulleri.  In  18G0.  Mr,  Walker  communicated 
samples,  etc.,  received  from  Dr.  Van  Hoist,  of  Berbice,  to  the  same 
Society,  and  in  1864  Sir  William  Holmes  also  drew  attention  to  the 
same  subject.  The  tree  is  a  large  one  with  a  trunk  of  about  6  feet  in 
diameter,  and  furnishes  a  wood  much  liked  for  building  purposes  and 
of  the  color  of  horse-flesh — hence  the  Dutch  name.  The  bark  is 
thick  and  rough,  and  the  fruit  is  of  the  size  of  a  coffee  berry,  sweet 
like  a  plum,  and  with  a  hard  white  kernel  which  yields  a  bitter  oil. 
The  leaves  are  glossy,  oval  and  accuminated.  The  milk  is  drunk 
by  the  natives,  in  cases  of  diarrhoea,  and  when  diluted  with  water  it  is 
used  as  cow's  milk.    The  trees  grow  in  groups  and  in  alluvial  soil. 
^  From  the  Indian  Agriculturist.  Reprinted  from  the  Tropical  Agri- 
culturist. 
