RESINS.
Gums and resins are exported from India to a considerable extent, but cutch (catechu) and gambier, alike in quantity and value, far exceed those of other kinds.
1880-81. 1881-82. 1882-83.
Catch and gambler, . 820,756 cwt. 198,897 ewt. 246,506 evrt. Other sorts,. . • . 899 „ 1,841 „ 1,722 ,, Cnteb and gambler, . Rs. 42,66,415 Rs. 25,30,810 RB. 30,52,434 Other sorts,: . . „ 11,814 „ 15,056 „ 14,371 These products are very abundant throughout the East Indies, and are largely utilized hy the people, but they are carelessly collected and packed, and are presented to European commerce in unattractive forms. Also, in the course of trade, cutch and gambier, rosin, pitch, tar, and dammer, are imported into India and re-exported. Since the second edition of the Cyclopmdia of India was published, Mr. E. J. Atkinson, in 1876, described the gums and gum-resins of the N.W. Provinces of India, and Dr. M. C. Cooke of the Indian Office in 1874 reported on all those of British India, referring several times to this Cyclo pmch. a. He classed them as gums, gum-resins, true resins, and oleo-resins, but in commercial returns these substances are usually placed under one heading.
The gums of the East Indies have already been noticed under that head, and the following re marks will be restricted to a notice of the chief commercial resins.
Resinous substances are found in greater or less abundance in most plants. Many of the resins of commerce exude naturally from fissures in the bark or in the wood, or they are obtained from incisions made in the stems of certain trees and shrubs. As they exude they are commonly mixed with an essential oil, which either evapor ates on coming in contact with the air, or is resinified by the action of oxygen. Such mixtures of volatile or essential oil with resins are some times called balsams. When gum is mixed with resins, another class of substances is produced, called gurrk-resins.
Resins soluble in spirit of turpentine are used for the most part in preparing dyes, varnishes, lacquers, sealing-wax, etc.
The rosin or common resin of Europe is ob tained as a residuary matter in the process for obtaining oil of turpentine,—an oleo-resin by dis tillation of American turpentine with water.
Ammoniacum is the product of Dorema ammoniacum, Don, and an identical gum-resin in obtained from D. aureum, Stocks, of Sind.
.Asufatida is from the Narthex asafoitida, Fernla alliacea, Bobs., F. Lehmann!, Bass., and it is said the F. Persica, Wilkie. It le need medicinally and as a condiment.
Balm of Gilead in an oleo-resin from the Balsamoden dron Berryi, .Arnott, a tree of N. Africa and Arabia, and is called by the Arabs Balsam Israeli. It is of syrupy consistence, limpid, and yellowish, but thickens and solidifiea by age. It is need in surgery, but ie rarely found pure. Mr. J. A. Murray says it is a product of B. Gileadense, Kunth., and calla it Ood-i-lialisan and balsam of Mecca. .
Myrrh, yielded by the Balsamodendron myrrha, Ehr., of Africa and Arabia. The commercial varieties aro Turkey myrrh, myrrh in tears, East Indian myrrh,1 and East Aden myrrh. B. ItoxInarghil. Arn., of India, is supposed by Dr. Boyle to yield part of the myrrh of commerce.
Googul of the bazars of India, the b'dellium of com merce, is obtained from Balsamodendron mukul, Hooker, also from the Balaamodendron pubescen., Stocks, and from the Boawellia glabra.
Ganda feroza, from Boswellia thurifera, ia largely used as an application to indolent ulcere and wounds, and suppoaed to form the chief ingredient of Wroughton's ointment. Mr. J. A. Murray says it is produced from Boswellia papyrifera, Hoch., gives it as names Luban and Ood, and nays it is frank incense and olibanum.
Benzoin, the Ood or Luban of the Indian bazars, is obtained from the Styrax benzoin, Dryantl, a tree of Borneo, Java, Siarn, and Sumatra, in the form of tears, lumps, and translucent massea. That of Siam appears to be superior in fragrance to the Sumatra product, although both possess a delight ful aroma.