DAMMER.
1 l'a ma-pi, Lan-t'ang, CHIN. Dummula, . . . Small. nal, Rain, • . . HIND. Coongilium, . . TAIL Darnar, , . . MALAY. Googhilum, . . TEL. Yakehadupha. . Saxsx. Tala-gotso, . . . UllIYA.
Demmer is a general natno for the resins of several different trees, being applied to the Indian copal or gum anirne of the Vateria Indica ; to the New Zealand copal from the Dammara australis ; to the hard brittle resin of tho Dammara Amboyna ; the brown resin of tho Vaticarobusta ; to the black resin or pitch of tho Vatica tumbugaia ; and to the resins of species of Canarium, as Canarium pimeln (Lan-t'ang, Ciinsr.), which yields the resin for the Chinese dammer. Agathis loranthifolia, Salisb., grows on the lofty mountains of Amboyna, and, according to Dr. Wallioh, in Tavoy. It is a very large tree, used in building. White dammer, a product of this tree, occurs in fragments of variable size, marked with reddish streaks, trans parent, amber-like, brittle, with brilliant fracture, very inflammable, inodorous, and tasteless. It hangs from the branches, and resembles stalactites, the pieces being sometimes as large as the hand, and 4 to 8 inches long; some pieces aro likeanime resin. Dammer is found adhering to the branches, or in masses at the foot of the trees which yield it, or floating in rivers, drifted to then; by the floods of tho rainy season. It is produced in such abun- ' dance, and gathered with so little labour, that its market prico seldom exceeds four or fivo shillings a hundredweight. The natives of tho country apply it to most of the uses to which we put tar, pitch, and rosin.
Darner m at a knelling, MALAY, Damar daging, and Damar batu, are gum products of the Malay Peninsula and of the Archipelago. Damar math kuching, when mixed with the miniak kayu, or wood-oil, makes a durable var nish. Delmar puteh is white dammer, and Damar selo Is another dammer.
Tho daminers of the Madras Presidency aro ob tained from trees of the genera Valeria, Canarium, and Vatica. The two former, viz. Vateria and Canarinm, yield by far the largest part, if not tho whole, of tho datnmers produced on tho western coast of tho Peninsula of India, whilst the Vatica genus yields the greater part of that collected in the northern and eastern districts.
The Black Dammer of the 1Vestern Coast is from Canarium strictum, tho Carpoo coongilium of Ainslie, tho Darnmara nigra legitima of Rumphius, and the Canaii of the Maleala. This occurs in large stalactitic-shaped masses, of a bright shining black colour when viewed from a distance, but translucent and of a deep reddish-brown when held in thin lamina) between the eye and tho light. It is perfectly homogeneous, and has a vitreous fracture. Its shape appears to be due to tho fact of the balsam having exuded in n very fluid state, and trickled down the trunk of the tree, where i; mulually hardens by exposure to the sun, the fresh resin continuing to flow over that alreally hardened, giving rise to tho atalactitie appearane of the huge lumps of resin, the outside of which much resembles the guttering of wax caused 17 placing a lighted candle in a draught. It is insoluble in cold, but partiany soluNo in boil ing, alcohol on tho addition of camphor ; when powdered, it is readily soluble in oil of turpentine. Powdered and burnt on the fire, it emits a more resinous smell, and burns with more smoke, than white dammer. Tho size of theltunps of this resin. together with its colour and the peculiarity of shape already mentioned, suffice to distinguish it from other Indian resins.
The White Dammer of the name Coast ia the Piney resin of the Vateria. Indica and allied species of Linnmus and Wight, Choloroxylon daupadt of Buchanan and Ainslie, tho Doopada resin of Mysore, and the Piney of the Malabar people. It has two varieties :— Var. 1. Compact Piney resin, or first sort white dammer, or Indian copal, occurs in large lumps of all shapes, and varying in colour on the outside from a bright orange to a dull yellow, bearing evident marks of having adhered to the bark of tho tree. It has a shining vitreous fracture, is very hard, and bears a great resem blance to amber. Its colour internally is of all shades, from a light green to a light yellow, the green tint predominating in the generality of specimens. It is more soluble in alcohol than black damtner, and burns with less smoke and a more agreeable odour. It is easily distinguishable from all other Indian resins by its superior hardness, its colour, and amber-liko appearance.