74

GUTTA PERCHA—SERIES OF CHIEF INDIAN GUMS.

[Class IV.

interesting. It is stated to be the inspissated juice ofan Artocurpus; and it is highly probable that there area number of similar vegetable productions, such as theAtti jegota, Ficus racemosa, and Mangegatu, Ficus in-dica, from Vizagapatam , which might be advantageouslyintroduced into commerce, and which could be profitablyemployed in the arts for similar purposes to those forwhich caoutchouc and gutta pereha are now so exten-sively employed. The Jury deemed the specimen ofgutta trap worthy of Honourable Mention.

The samples of caoutchouc or India-rubber are of con-siderable interest: those from Sumatra and Java, in par-ticular, are deserving oi notice. A considerable numberof specimens of caoutchouc from different localities, andprepared in different manners, is shown by Dr. Royleip. 8G9), including samples of India-rubber, obtainedfrom the Ficus elastica in Assam by Captain Veitch, andsome prepared by Dr. Scott; and a portion of the woodand juice of the Urceola elastica, from Singapore , is con-tributed by \Y. Brockedon, as well as a young plant ofthe Ficus elastica. A good series of samples of thedifferent forms of India-rubber, commonly known incommerce, is also exhibited by Messrs. Mackintosh, inillustration of the various useful and beautiful applica-tions which are made of it in the arts. Many of thespecimens of East Indian caoutchouc, however, showthat unfortunate “tackiness” which so greatly dimi-nishes the value of some forms of India-rubber. Thesamples from Assam , in particular, illustrate the great im-portance of care and attention in the preparation ofcaoutchouc : the specimens sent over some years since byCaptain Veitch are of excellent quality, and have notundergone any change since they have been in England.They were evidently formed from many successive layersof sap, each layer being allowed to dry before a freshone was applied. On the other hand, many of the morerecent specimens are sticky and in a partially decompos-ing state. These have plainly been formed by the coagu- !lation of a considerable bulk of the sap rapidly collected; :a little time and attention have thus been saved, but at thesacrifice of the most useful properties of the caoutchouc.All samples of India-rubber from new localities, wherethere is any probability of a large quantity being ob- |tuined, are valuable.

In connexion with these specimens, particular atten- 'tion should be drawn to the Cuttemundoo, or Katti-mundoo, a highly-interesting substance exhibited from ;Vizagapatam by Mr. W. Elliott, and obtained from theAkoo Chenroodoo, or Bramha Chemoodoo, the Euphorbiaantiquorum of Roxburgh. It is of a dark-brown colour,opaque except in thin pieces, is hard and somewhatbrittle at common temperatures, but easily softened byheat; in boiling water it is perfectly insoluble, but itbecomes soft, viscid, and remarkably sticky and adhesive,like bird-lime ; as it cools it reassumes its original cha-racter. Heated, it melts and burns with a bright andsmoky flame, at the same time giving out a peculiarodour, somewhat resembling that of burning caoutchoucor gutta pereha.

This remarkable substance appears to be a hydro-carbon, closely resembling caoutchouc and gutta perehain chemical composition, but considerably different fromboth in physical characters. It is said to be used as acement for joining metal, fastening knife-handles, &c. ;and there is little doubt that it might be advantageously ■employed for a great number of purposes in the arts.Cuttemundoo merits a minute and careful examination ;it promises to prove a valuable addition to the India-rubber series : and the Jury have accordingly awarded aPrize Medal to Mr. Elliott for its introduction.

Excellent samples of the different forms of caoutchoucusually met with in commerce, are shown by Locking-ton, Bunn, and Co. (Class XXVIII., 77, p. 1783); andsome fine specimens of gutta pereha, both in its roughstate as imported, and also in the various stages through (which it passes in the process of purification, are exhi- |bited by the Gutta Pkrcha Company (Class XXVIII.,85, pp. 1783, 1784); both these series of specimens, how- ;ever, are merely shown in illustration of the various uses :to which these substances are applied.

The sample of dragon’s-blood from Sumatra , calledHeraduccun, being of superior quality, was deemedworthy of Honourable Mention.

Amongst the other collections of gums and resins, thespecimens shown by J. Loch, Esq. (89, p. 0(19, &c.\ andcontributed by Ilis Highness the Rajah of Travancokk,are considered worthy of Honourable Mention. Besidesthese, the turpentine from Churra Poonjee, in the Dacca division (p. 0G9. &c.;; the Bombax resin ; the Saul gum,from the Shorea rohusta , from Beerbhoom and fromBhaugulpore: the Theetske resin, from Arracan; theKerelu resin, from Assam , contributed by Major IIannay;the Dammar, from Malacca, Sumatra , Java, and otherplaces, deserve notice. The numerous series of resins,&c., from Sarawak must also not be omitted; the namesof these are as follows:—

1 .

Molosampang.

i 15. Supok.

o.

Mcrukn.

! 1G. Mong kabang.

3.

Morkubong.

17. Miniak kapur.

4.

Mintangor jenkar.

18. Kusuh.

5.

Klabit.

19. Garmyong.

G.

Singut.

, 20. Sulutong.

7.

Menlinrut.

, 21, Kamlis.

8.

Godoh.

; 22. Rabae-rior.

9.

Snmpang.

23. Guttapercha.

10.

Vrat muta.

j 24. Taboo.

11.

Liong sundok.

25. Gayu.

12.

Mata kuchin.

! 2G. Bulan vok.

13.

Sarak balachan.

' 27. Gutta bintangor

14.

Xeranli boya.

In the following list the chief Indian gums and resins,&c., are necessarily placed under one common head, as,without a minute examination, it would not be possibleto class them more accurately.

1. Babool gum, gond babool, See., obtained from theAcacia arabica, or babool tree; an inferior sort of gum-arabic from Bengal.

2. Gattie gum, a variety of the babool gum, largelyproduced in the Deccan, Concan, and Guzerat; wellknown in commerce as East Indian gum-arabic ; a speci-men is also contributed from Bombay.

3. Kheir gum, the produce of Acacia catechu ,closely resembling the preceding; from the Rajpootanastates.

4. Jumma jegota (Acacia leucopllcca) ; from Vizaga-patam.

5. Keekuv gond, babool tree ( Vachellia farncsiana) ;from Bengal; both closely resembling the babool gum,and consequently varieties of arabic.

0. Wood-apple gum, obtained from the wood-apple, orFeronia elephantum; from Vizagapatam ; a good anduseful gum.

7. Margosa gum, from the margosa tree (Melia aza-dirachta ) ; from Madura, Tinnevelly , and Palameottah ;inferior.

8. Mallaga jegota, from the Morinya pterygosperma ;from Vizagapatam.

9. Pagada jegoto ( Jlimusops elengi ); from Vizaga-patam.

10. Tanjada jegota {Cassia auriculata) ; from Vizaga-patam . These three appear likewise to be soft, withdifficultly soluble, and inferior gums.

11. Bailee gond, or spurious tragacanth, obtained fromthe Sterculia urens ; sent from Bombay.

12. Kuteera ( Cochlosptrm mn yossypium ), like the pre-ceding, a sort of inferior tragacanth ; contributed fromMeerut.

13. Vateria resin, an excellent resin obtained from theYateria indica, from which it exudes as a balsam in asemi-fluid state, constituting the peynie varnish ; it soonbecomes hard when exposed to the air. This resin isshown both in the fluid state and also when solidified;from Malabar and Canara.

14. Dhoona, or Saul dammar, a good resin abundantlyobtained from the saul tree ( Shorea robusta\ common inthe northern parts of Hindostan ; contributed by hisHighness the Maharajah of Nepal, and from Bengal andBhagulpore, in the Moorshedahad district.

15. Soondroos, or copal: imported from Africa throughArabia, and often called anime.