Drugs, pp. 814-5.
Jumrasi.—Tbis gum has been doubtfully referred to Eloeodendron paniculatum, a native of India. It occurs in roundish tears of variable size, the majority not exceeding in. diam., exter nally finely rugose, and minutely cracked, with a shining fracture, rather brittle, some tears almost colourless, others dark reddish-brown, with intermediate shades of amber and brown. It is taste less, and soluble in water, forming a tenacious sherry-coloured mucilage. It is not an article of commerce, but deserves attention with that view.
or S. .A.raerican so-called S. American copal is said to be a product of several species of Hymenaa, Trachylobium, and Vouapa, but the great bulk of it is undoubtedly derived from the W. Indian locust-tree, the algarroba of Panama, jutalty of Brazil, and simiri of Guiana (Hymenoca Courbaril). This tree is common in most parts of tropical S. America, attaining great size and age. From the bark of the stem, and from the roots, there exudes a resin bearing rnuch resemblance to the animi of Africa (see pp. 1640-4). It is usually infested with insects; pale-brown, transparent, brittle, of agreeable odour, whence it is employed in fumigating and perfumery ; its sp. gr. is 1.028-1.054, according to one authority, or 1.082, according to another ; it is readily melted by heat, insoluble in water, but completely soluble in boiling alcohol. It is capable of application to varnish-making, like copal, and is universally employed in varnishing the native pottery. There is no evidence to show whether the 670 lb. of "goma algarroba" exported from Maracaibo (Venezuela) in 1880, and valued at 167i dol. (of 4s. 2d.), was this substance or rnezquite, which is also sometimes called algarroba.
Kauri, Kowrie, Cowdee, or Cawree (Fa., Dammar austral, de la Nouvelle-Zelande ; GER., Kauric-copal).—This now familiar resin is afforded by several species of antipodean pines, chiefly Dammara australis, and in minor quantity by D. °rata, D. Cookii, and D. lanccolata, of New Cale donia, and D. Brownii of Queensland.
D. auetralis is now to be found growing only in the N.-W. peninsula of the N. island of New Zealand, between 34i° and 37i° S. lat., though the fossil resin is found embedded in the soil and in the coal-seams in vaiious other parts of the colony, even so far south as Stewart's Island, showing that the tree formerly ranged over the whole colony.
The largest quantity of marketable kauri is dug out of the ground. It is found at various depths, from just above the surface of the soil to many feet below. It is found on bare hill-sides,
on flat clay lands, in swamps, and even in some places that are covered with a more or less thick coating of volcanic debris. Somethnes the fossil resin is found in small detached lumps, and at other times large deposits occur in one hole. On cultivated land, it is not uofrequently turned up by the plough ; and in many places, the cutting of drains in swamps has revealed large quantities. The implements used in digging for the fossil resin consist of a spade and a spear. The spear is a long steel rod, about in. diam., with a wooden handle, like that of a sps,de or shovel. The rod is brought to a point, and the digger pierces it into the ground on the little knolls that indicate the probable sites of defunct trees. Practice and experience enable him to tell whether he is touching a stone or a piece of the resin. When he touches the latter, ho digs around it until it is extricated, and then renuws the search as before. The number of persons regularly engaged in digging varies from 1800 to 3000, the greater part of whorn are Maoris, but even they do not show any special fondness for the work. They resort to it when they become pressed for food and elothiii, account of the failure of their erep,, or other causes. Many Europeans have resorted to this kind of work, but they belong generally to the roughest class.
" Young" or recent resin is also obtained from the living trees, whence, at certain seasons, there exudes a yellowish-white liquid, of viscous consistence and pleasant odour, gradually hardeu big to an amber-like mass. In the forks of the large branches, deposits varying from a few lb. to nearly 1 owt. are sometimes met with. When a kauri tree is ent iu the bark, even one of the largest and oldest, varying in diameter from 6 to 10-12 ft., it will bleed like a young sapling. In a few weeks, if the weather be dry, a large mass of half-dried resin will have oozed from the wouud, not unfrequently appearing in the form of a great thick band, reaching from the wound to the surface of the soil around the tree. When a tree is felled, the stump bleeds in a like manner, until large masses of resin can be broken off frorn the stump. This "young" resin is white in colour, and has not the rieh amber hue which age imparts to it when stored beneath the surface of the soil away from the action of sun and weather.