GALLS, Gall-nut, Nut-gall.
Afaz, A63, . . . ABA% Gallm, LAT Py-in-ta-gar-ne-thi, BURM. Majakani, . . MALAY.
Mu-shih-tsze, . . CHIN. Mazu, Fikis, . . PERS. Gal-apfel, . . . . DUT. Galhas, . . . . PORT. Galles, Noix de Galles,FR. Mayapbal, . . . SANSK. Gallapfel, Gallus, . GER. Masaka, . . . SINGH. KekiI4 GR Agallas, . . . . SP. Majuphal, Maiphal, HIND. Mocha kai, . . . . TAM. Galla, Galluza, . . IT. Machi kaia, . . . TEL.
The galls of Europe are obtained from the oak ; those pf British India from Rhus succedanea ; those of China from the Rhus semi-alata.
Galls are produced by the female of the Cynips or Diplolepis piercing the buds of Quercus infec toria and other trees and there depositing its eggs. Dr. Falconer when 'travelling in the Panja.b, was informed thal galls were produced on the Balloot oak, Quercus balotta. East India galls of com merce are Bussora galls re-exported from Bombay. Mecca galls are also called Bussora galls. A kind of gall is also imported from China, called Woo-pei-tze, which are said to be produced by an aphis ; they are more bulky than common galls, of very irregular shape, and hollow. The galls produced on Tamarix Indica, or faras tree, are called Ma-in, and are used for dyeing purposes. They are largely gathered in the Jhang, Gugaira, and Muzaffargarh districts as also in the Dehra Ghazi Khan districts, tvliere as much as 500 maunds are annually collected. Galls are im
ported into England from Smyrna, being produced in Asia Minor • also from Aleppo, the produce of the vicinity Of Mosul in Kurdistan. They are also imported into England from Bombay (some times to the extent of 1000 cwt.), having been first imported there from the Persian Gulf. Mr. Wilkinson observed that whenever the prices were low at Symrna, the galla came from Bombay, aud vice versa ; but the supply was never abundant from both sources in the same year. They are imported into Bombay from Basra (Bussora), probably the produce of Kurdistan and of other Persian provinces. The quantity aimually imported into Britain amounts to 700 tons. They are employed in tanning, to make ink, and medicinally in infusion, ointment, and as gallic acid. They sell at 14 to £6 the cwt., and in the London market are classed as blue, green, and white. The exports from British India rose from 286,350 cwts. in 1875 to 537,055in 1877-78, value 1230,526. In China, in the absence of better food, the galls of the oak tree produced by the Cynips or Diplolepis insect are said to be eaten.— Smith ; Boyle ; Simmonds ; Tomlinson ; ; Faulkner.