OBSERVATIONS  ON  SOME  PRODUCTIONS  OF  MEXICO.  503 
nous  properties,  like  quince  seeds,  and  contain  a  fixed  oil,  sold 
under  the  name  of  aceite  de  chia  in  Mexico. 
White  Copal,  Heliocarpus  copallifera  (tiliacese). — A  resin  from 
the  hot  country  of  the  coast,  which  is  nearly  colorless,  and  has 
an  aromatic  but  unpleasant  odor.  The  aborigines  employed  it  for 
fumigation.    It  is  used  in  medicine  as  an  application  for  ulcers. 
Gum  of  Maguey. — The  Maguey  (Agave  americana),  noted  for 
its  saccharine  juice  and  the  liquor  pulque  it  affords  by  fermenta- 
tion, also  yields,  by  spontaneous  exudation  from  its  leaves,  a 
gum  closely  resembling  gum  arabic.  M.  Bazire  says  the  pulque 
Agave  is  another  species,  the  A.  americana  having  a  bitter 
juice, 
M.  Biart  considers  this  gum  more  lauded  than  used.  A 
sample  sent  to  M.  Guibourt  was  found  to  consist  of  conglome- 
rated translucent  tears,  which  possess  a  certain  resemblance  to 
gum  arabic.  Macerated  in  water  the  tears  separate  readily,  and 
partially  dissolve.  The  solution  is  precipitated  by  alcohol,  and 
the  precipitate,  besides  gum,  contains  malate  of  lime.  The  un- 
dissolved portion  is  chiefly  bassorin. 
Mexican  Gum  Acacia,  or  Gum  Mizquitl. — This  is  the  gum 
Mezquite  described  at  vol.  xxvii.  p.  14,  of  the  American  Journal 
of  Pharmacy,  brought  by  Dr.  Shumard  from  the  region  of  upper 
Texas. 
Gomme  de  Nopal. — Derived  from  several  species  of  cactus  by 
exudation,  and  resembles  the  false  tragacanth,  or  Bassora  gum 
of  commerce. 
Gomme  de  Sonora  is  a  name  given  to  an  exudation  caused  by 
an  insect, — a  species  of  coccus, — and  is  analogous  to  shellac. 
The  name  of  the  plant  is  not  given. 
Molle,  Tree  of  Peru,  False  Pimenta  (Schinus  molle,  L.) — This 
elegant  tree  extends  through  Mexico.  Its  bark  is  an  astringent, 
its  leaves  used  in  fomentations,  and  the  fruit,  the  size  of  pepper, 
is  aromatic  and  stimulant.  By  expression  the  berries  yield  an 
oleoresin  like  Canada  Balsam,  and  the  trunk  yields  a  thick  viscid 
juice  which  concretes  into  an  insoluble  kind  of  gum  resin,  having 
much  bitterness  and  a  disagreeable  odor. 
Ule  (Castilloa  elastica,  Cerv.)  belongs  to  the  natural  order 
Artocarpece,  and  yields  a  milky  juice  rich  in  caoutchouc. 
