2. Indian Tragacanth or Kuteera.—Gums bearing a close resemblance to tragacantb are produced by aeveral Indian plants. One of the most important is Cochlospermum [Bombax] Gossypium, a native of the dry hills of Garhwal, Bundelkund, Berar, Orissa, and the Deccan, also commonly planted neer templea. The gum is white, semi-transparent, in striated pieces which are very much twisted and contorted ; it is used locally by shoemakers. This variety is eonsidered ioferior to the gum yielded by Sterculia [Cawthorn] urens, a native of N.-W. India, Assam, Behar, the E. and W. Peninsulas, and Ceylon. Severs/ other species of Sterculia are accredited with affording an almost identical product. The range of utility of this class of gums ia very limited, competing only with the lowest grades of true trsgacanth, for which there is but slight demand in European markets.
3. African Tragacanth.—Thie variety is derived from Stem Tragacantha, an abundant native of W. Africa, from Senegambia to the Congo. The gum is afforded in great quantity, and commonly finds its way into parcels of Sesiegal (Arabic) gum. It forme colourless or yellowish stalactitic masses, transparent in very thin slices. It beara the closeat general resemblance to the produce of Indian species of Sterculia, just described.
4. Hog Tragacanth, or Hog Gum.—Theee terms, like that of " Bassora gum," aeem to be applied to mixtures of various cheap and inferior gume, placed on the market at intervala with a view to being foisted off as tragacanth. At Smyrna, tragacanth is mixed with gums termed "Mosul" and " Caramania." The former appears to be very inferior tragacanth ; while the latter is referred to the exudationa of almond- and plum-trees, and ia usually treated with white-lead to hide ita darker colour. It is evident that the Indian &ermine also contribute occaaionally to the suppliea of hog tragacanth. Almost the only application of this inferior material is ae a mucilage for " marbling " book-edgea, for which purpose it is not superior to mucilagea obtained from linseed, quince-seed, or elm-bark. (See also Hog gum, p. 1654.) Turpentine.—This name is applied to a number of liquid oleo-resine obtained chiefly from the Ccmiferce. They will receive separate description in the following order :—(1) Aleppo, (2) Cana dian, (3) Carpathian, (4) Chian, (5) Common, (6) Hungarian, (7) Strasburg, (8) Venice.
1. Aleppo turpentine.—The Aleppo pine (Pinus Halepetasis) in Provence is tapped much in the same way as the maritime pine in W. France, and yielda aimilar but lees valuable products. Uaually the tree is bled when it has attained a diameter of 8-12 in. The incisions (surles) are about 4 in. wide, and are prolonged by a fresh cut upwards once every 19 days, till their length amounts to about 1 ft. The exudation is received in holes made in the ground at the foot of the tree. Freshly caught, it is called perime vierge ; the cakes of resin prepared from it are termed rare. The yield of a good tree should be 13-15 lb. of crude turpentine annually for about 20
years.
2. Canadian tvxpentine (FR., Baume du Canada, Terebinthine du Canada, T. du Sapin baumier, Faux baume de Gilead ; G ER., Canada balsam).—Canadian turpentine, or, as it is generally called, "Canada balsam," is priduced by the " balsam fir " or " balm of Gilead fir" (Pinus [Abies] balsatnea), and in a minor degree by the .• small-fruited " or " double baleam fir " (P. Fraseri), and a closely similar article by the hemlock spruce (P. [A.] canadensis). The first species is very abundant in the N. and W. United States, Nova Scotia, and Canada, up to 62° N. lat. The second occurs on the mountains of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and eouthward on the highest Alleghaniee. The third (see Tannin) extends throughout Britieb America to Alaeka. Of these three, the first only will receive further description here.
The balsam fir prefers wet or marshy soil, in cold hilly regions, though thriving on compara tively dry upland, and in almost any soil. Its growth ie rapid, but its size is small-30-40 ft. high, and 6-8 in. diam. It is thus of little value for timber, and is utilized only for its oleo-resin, which is generally more abundant in the flourishing smooth-barked trees of low damp lands than in the atunted growths of the mountains. The tree ie very subject to the attacks of a bark-mining beetle, belonging to the genus Tomicus, which is rapidly destroying the forests, and can only be checked by felling all trees that are affected, burning the bark and with it the colonies of larvre.
The oleo-resin collecte iu utricules, which cause a protuberance in the exterior layers of the bark. The tapping is performed in a peculiar manner. The gatherers are provided with small cans, having a sharp-edged iron tube proceeding from the top. By this tube, the blisters are pierced one by one, the liquid flowing down the tube until the can is full. Boys are sent up into the branches, while the father worka about the lower part of the tree, thia industry being followed by families, and confined to the poorest colonists and the Indians. A large rich tree may yield 1 lb. of oleo-resin, but the average is about lb. A man and 2 children may colleet 1 gal. in a day, while a man alone would not exceed gal. The gathering cannot be prasecuted during rain, nor even in the same day, as drops of water mixing with the exudation render it milky and unsaleable. The season lasts from about 15 June to 15 A_ugust or 1 September, or between the dates of the disappearance of snow from the mountains and its reappearance. Near the villages and on partially cleared laud, email quantities are collected in May. A tree should not be pierced in two successive years ; 2-3 yeara' rest should intervene, and even then the subsequent yield never equals what it was the first time.