BINA ORELLANA, L., var. A. Indica. Latkan, . 13ssa., fItsm. Kisree, . . . . Matta.
Thi-dew, Thi-den- Kasumba-kling, MALAY.
pan, . . . Bunx. Knrungu munga,NI.r.r-st. Kuppa Manhala, . CAN. 1Aha-ga1311, . . Sixen.
Kist', . . . Kuragu tnanjal. . TAM. Arnotto, Annatto, ENO. Mangmati manna, „ Rocou, . . . . Fn. Supprah mama, . Capurji, . . . . HIND. Jafra chettu, . . TEL There are two varieties of this small tree, a. with rose-coloured flowers, cultivated in the West Indies, and Indica, with white flowers; cultivated in India. In the native of India the flowers are white, and the immature capsule green; while in the plant from West Indian seed the flowers are rose-coloured, and the immature seed vessel red ; and the eastern plants do not furnish so much or of so good a colour. The plant is cultivated in Singapore, in Mysore, largely all over Pegu, and is a favourite dye with . the Burmese ; is grown in Dacca, the Malay Peninsula, the Eastern Archipelago, the Hawaiian islands, Tongatabu, Rio Janeiro, Peru, and Zanzibar ; the shrub rises to the height of seven or eight feet, producing oblong heavy pods, some what resembling those of a chestnut. Within this
there are generally thirty or forty irregularly formed seeds, which are enveloped in a pulp of a bright red colour, and a fragrant smell ; the pulp forms the arnotto of commerce. The dye is usually prepared by macerating the pods in boil ing water. When they begin to ferment, the seeds are strongly stirred and bruised with wooden pestles, to promote the separation of the red skins. This process is repeated several times, till the seeds are left white. The residuum is dried in the sun, and made up, while soft, into balls or cakes of 2 or 3 lbs. weight. The dry hard paste is the best of all ingredients for imparting a golden tint to cheese and butter. The Spanish Ameiicans mix it with their chocolate, to which it gives a beautiful rich hue. It imparts a pale rose colour to silk and cotton. The imports into Great Britain of arnotto for home consumption are from 200,000 to 300,000 pounds per annum, price 1s. the pound.—Sinzmonds' Commercial Pro ducts, p. 148 ; Drs. Roxburgh, Voigt, 1IPClelland. See Dyes.