. ARAB. Tamarindus, . . LAT. . . . ltunm. Neghka, . . Mstar.
Cay-mc, . Coot.-CHIN. . . PEns.
Tamarins, . . . Fn. Amlika, Tintili, . SANsK. Tamarindon, . . GER. Mahasiamhala, . . SINGH. ARAI, . . CuJ., Hist). Pulic, TAM.
Tamarind°, . IT., Se. Chinta-pundoo, TEL.
Kama', . . . . JAY. Demer . TURK.
The tamarind tree, Tainarindus Indica, grows in the East and West Indies, the Eastern Islands, Arabia, and Egypt. It attains the height of 30 or 40 feet. Tatnarind pods are frotn 3 to inches long, and more or less curved. When ripe they consist of a dry, brittle, brown external shell, within which is the useful part, an acidulous, sweet, reddish-browm pulp penetrated by strong fibres. Within this is a thin membranous coat enclosing the oval brown seeds. The pulp, as analyzed by Vauquelin, contains citric acid, 9.40; tartaric acid, 1.55 ; malic acid, 0-45; bitartrate of potash, 3-25 ; sugar, 12.5 ; gum, 4-7 ; pectin, G-25; parenchyma, :34-35 ; and water, 27-55. The fruit is used largely by the natives of India and Persia in making a sherbet or cooling drink, and also as a necessary ingredient in curries, to which it communicates a tartish flavour. The pulp allays thirst, is nutritive and refrigerant, and in full dose laxative. An infusion forms a very pleasant cooling drink, as does also tamarind whey. Infusion of senna with tamarinds is a useful laxative. Tamarinds are exported from
India, packed in tins with or without syrup, Several varieties are distinguished, such as tho red tamarind, the sweet tamarind, obtained from l'ersia; the dark tamarind, produced in Madura, one of the Eastern Islands; and the common or green tamarind, which is extensively produced throughout India. The red-coloured tamarinds are found in Gnjerat, at Kheir on the Godavery, Panderpur on the Kistna, and there are four trees in Madras. It is the best of the three Indian varieties. In preserving it for export, when tho fruit is ripe, the shell or epicarp is removed, and the fruit placed in layers in a cask, boiling water being then poured over it. Another plan is to put alternate layers of tamarinds and powdered sugar in a stone jar. Tamarinds aro exported both raw and preserved. .Mooehee bookbinders prepare a useful paste of the tamarind stones, which is called Pasay, TA3I., by first taking off the brown skin and then boiling them down till they become glutinous. Tatnarind seed powder, boiled into a. paste with thin glue, forms one of the strongest wood cements. Tamarind seeds yield an oil of a pale bright-coloured fluid, and extremely light.—Mud. Exh. Jur. Rep. ; ; Roy& ; 31` C. ; Faulk. ; 7'undinion.