120  Economic  Uses  of  the  Hibiscus  Family.  { "^"^ Ma"'' 1^875';'''  ' 
THE  ECONOMIC  USES  OF  THE  HIBISCUS  FAMILY. 
As  attention  is  now  being  directed  prominently  in  France  to  the 
Hibiscus  esculentus  as  a  paper-making  material,  a  few  words  of  descrip- 
tion as  to  its  economic  uses  and  those  of  the  allied  species  will  not  be 
out  of  place.  Its  value  as  a  fibrous  plant  has  long  been  recognized, 
and  the  late  Dr.  Riddell,  of  India,  often  exhibited  paper,  cordage,  etc., 
made  from  it,  at  the  various  International  Exhibitions,  and  before  the 
Society  of  Arts.  This  plant,  though  indigenous  to  the  West  Indies, 
has  long  been  naturalized  in  India.  Its  pods  produce  the  well  known 
vegetable  known  as  Ochro  by  the  English,  Gombo  by  the  French, 
Chimbombo  by  the  Spanish,  and  Bendikai  in  India,  which  is  so  much 
esteemed  in  imparting  a  mucilaginous  thickening  to  soups.  The  young 
pods  are  gathered  green,  and  pickled  like  capers.  The  seeds  may  be 
boiled  like  barley,  and  the  mucilage  which  they  contain  is  both  emol- 
lient and  demulcent  ;  they  have  also  been  recommended  when  roasted 
as  a  substitute  for  coffee.  An  analysis,  given  by  E.  Landron,  of  the 
seeds  shows  the  following  composition  : 
Watei,         ........  4*21 
Oil,        ........  16-50 
Resin,          ........  1-21 
Mineral  matters,           ,           .           .           .           .           .  6-38 
Undetermined,         .......  Ji'yo 
100 
The  oil  has  a  disagreeable  flavor,  which  would  prevent  its  use  as  a 
comestible,  but  containing  much  stearic  acid,  it  could  be  used  for  soap- 
making.  The  oil-cake  remaining  would  form  a  rich  manure,  as  it  con- 
tains 4"i8  per  cent,  of  nitrogen  and  1-55  of  phosphoric  acid.  Messrs. 
Boujon  Brothers  have  taken  out  a  patent,  in  France,  for  making  paper 
from  the  fibre,  and  propose  introducing  the  culture  of  the  plant  into 
Algeria.  They  prepare  the  fibre,  solely  by  mechanical  means,  in  a  cur- 
rent of  water,  and  without  any  bleaching  agent,  and  the  pulp,  washed 
and  bleached,  makes  a  strong,  handsome  paper,  equalling  that  from  pure 
rags.  The  different  parts  of  the  stem  and  the  fruit  yield  in  washing  a 
large  quantity  of  guaimy  mucilage,  to  which  the  name  of  gombin  has 
been  given,  and  which  can  be  used  by  pharmaceutists  for  making  a  pec- 
toral lozenge  called  pate  de  goniho.  Besides  this  substance,  the  plant 
contains  a  resin  which  reddens  under  the  influence  of  acids  and  bleach- 
ing agents.     This  obstacle  is  removed,  however,  by  decomposing,  in 
