A second plan is as follows :—Tha leavee are boiled, and bruised in a wooden mortar (ksong), from which they are put into a kind of basket of rattan open-work, which is pressed by a long piece of wood acting as a lever ; the liquid is received into a trough, and there allowed to settle. When the sediment has acquired sufficient substance, it is put into a kulit-kiyo, formed like a tub without a bott,om, which lets the superfluous water drain off; when that is done, it is taken out, made into small cakes, and. dried for use. A plantation employing 5 labourers contains 70,000 80,000 shrubs, and yields 40-50 =tiles (of lb.) of gambier daily.
Plantations were commenced in Singapore in 1829, and onco numbered 800 ; but owing to scarcity of fuel, abundance of which is essential to the manufacture, and dearness of labour, the culture was fast declining in 1866. In 1872, it had much recovered. It is largely pursued on the mainland (Jehore), and in the Rhio-Lingga Archipelago, S.-E. of Singapore ; on Bintaug, tho moet northerly of the group, thore were 1250 plantations of it in 1854. None is cultivated in Sarawak, though found wild in many parts ; the foreign export from Sarawak in 1879 had a total value of 88,148 dol. The best kind is brought largely from Sumatra, but is often adulterated with sago. Tho Rhio product is also thus sophisticated, and rendered hoavier by the Chinese purposely packing it in baskets lined with wet cajangs, occasioning a loss to the purchaser of about 30 per cent.
Singapore is the great emporium for gambler, and exported 34,248 tons in 1871, 19,550 tons having been inaported, °Melly from Rhio and the Malay Peninsula. In 1876, the export increased to over 50,000 tons of pressed block, and 2700 tons of cubes. In 1877, it fell to 39,117 tons, owing to differences with the Chineee dealers concerning adulteration ; of this quantity, 21,607 tons wore for London, 7572 for Liverpool, and 2345 for Marseilles. The United Kingdom imports in 1872 were 21,155 tons, 451,7371., almost all from the Straits Settlements ; in 1880, they were 26,061 tons, 461,781/., from the Straits, and 352 tons, 6468/., from other countries ; total, 26,413 tone, 468,2491. Our re-exports in 1880 were :-2487 tons, 48,5071., to Holland ; 1591 tons, 31,542/ , to Germany ; 1137 tons, 23,694/., to Russia ; 594 tons, 12,0261., to other countriee ; total, 5809 tons, 115,7691.
The approximate London market values are 158. 6d.-21s. 6d. a cwt. for block, 18-24s. for pressed eubee, and 23-27s. for free cubes.
Hemlock.—The bark of the hemlook or hemlock spruce (Aldo canadensis), of Canada and the United States, containa nearly 14 per cent. of tannin. The stripping of the bark commences in the southern parte of tho United States in spring, and lasts during April-May ; in New York, Michigan, and Wisconsin, the season is June-July ; and further north, it is still later. It is said that the best product is obtained furthest south. The destruction of the hemlock forests is fast approaching. Within the last 25 years, the preparation of an extract from the bark, containing 18-25 per cent. of a deep-red tannin, giving considerable weight and firmness to leather, has superseded the export of crude bark. The mode of preparing the extract is as follows :—The hark in pieces i-1 in. thick, and several inches long, is soaked for about 15 minutes in water at 93° (200° F.) ; it is then fed into a hopper, which conducts it to a 3-roller machine, something like a sugar-cane mill (see p. 1873), through which it passes, coming out lacerated and compressed ; it next falls into a vat of hot water, where it is agitated by a wheel, that the tannin from the crushed cells may be dissolved in the water ; hence it is raised by a series of buckets on an endless chain, somewhat in tha manner of a g,rain-elevator, to another hopper, whence it is fed to another 3-roller mill; here it receives its final compression, and comes ont in flakes or sheets, like e,oarse paper, and almost frea from tannin. The buckets are made of coarse wire, that the water may drip through during the elevation. In order to avoid the blackening action of iron, wherever this metal ie brought into contact with the solutions it is thickly coated with zinc. The solution is evaporated to a solid consieteney, generally by vacuum-pans. About 2 tons of bark are represented by 1 bar. (of lees than 500 lb.) of extract. The chief makers are A. S. Thomas, Elmira, N.Y. ; S. Brown & Co., New York ; Canada Tanning Extract Co., St. Leonard and Bulstrode ; J. Miller & Co., Millerton, New Brunswick. The total production is probably over 10,000 tons annually, ranging in value between 171. and 23/. a ton. Our imports are included in barks and extracts, p. 1988.