The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-09-22 00:00:00

CANNING IN RETIREMENT,

niseu mountains the species which is said to yield that sub-
stance in great abundance. The Icica Carana produces a
substance like gum elerni, the Icica acouchini the balsam of
acnuchi, the Humiriuin floribundum, the balsam of umiri,
the Amyris anabrosiaca, an immense tree, the fragrant resin
of comma. The latter tree, called Haiowa or Sepou by the
Indians, is most abundant. The Tonko bean is very fra-
grant, and possesses a volatile oil, which contains a peculiar
principle called Coumarin. Several pieces of Anoniacetu
yield likewise a fragrant gum, highly prized by the Indians,
and from their flowers essential oils might be extracted. The
lucust-tree, or Hymentea, furnishes the gum anime. It is
found in abundance, and might be used as gum lac. Several
species of Garcinia as well as Clusia possesses gamboge.
The Dali, a species of Myristica, a large and majestic tree,
is very frequent along the banks of rivers ; its seeds when
immersed in boiling water, furnish a vegetable tallow, which
has been used with effect for the preparation of candles by
several colonists.

Most prominent among the vegetable oils is that pressed
out of the nut of the crab-wood tree (Carapa Guianensis; ;
it is used in the colony for burning, bet at present small
quantities are only manufactured by Indians, who anoint
their hair with it, and the strength and fine gloss which dis-
tinguish it is ascribed to the use of that oil. They press like-
wise a sweet oil from the fruits of certain palm trees, chiefly
from the Acuyuru (Astrocaryon aculeatum), and Cucurit
palm (Maxiliana regia.)
The number of woods which furnish valuable dyes is con-
siderable. I allude to the Brazil wood, the fustic-tree, the
black dye of the Lana (Genipa Americana) and Serada, the
red dye of the Maparakuui erythroxylum, different Malphig-
hidoe, and the useful dve Arnatto or Roucou, which thrives
without care.* The Bignonia chica affords a dye similar to
the Arnatto. The plant possesses it in such abundance, that
it exudes like resin when the wood is wounded : it dyes a
bright orange. To the same family belongs the Manariballi
Jacaranda ovali and acuti-folia), which affords an excellent
remedy against that dreadful disease, the yaws. A decoction
of its leaves is given to the patient inwardly, and he is like-
wise directed to wash his body in it.

Guiana possesses several trees, the bark of which affords
the principle of tanning. The bark of the Avicennia tomen-
tosa, and a species of Malphighia, which is abundant on the
savannahs in the interior, is much used by the Brazilians for
that purpose. The heart of the mora tree is considered as
valuable for tanning as oak. _ . .
_ _

There are many 'fruits grateful to the palate, and whole-
some withal, which are the productions of the forests.
Among a great number I mention only the pine-apple, the
Guava, the Marmalade fruit, the delicious fruits of the Anona
tribe, the Sapodilla, several species of Passiflora, the Brazil
and Suwarrow or Sonari nuts ; the latter, which are the fruits
of Cariocar tomertosum, and various others of the same ge-
nus, may be considered as some of the most delicious of the
nut kind, and would furnish a sweet and bland oil.
The leaves of some of the Bromilite which grow on the arid
savannahs, furnish a fibre, of which the natives make thread
and ropes : it is uncommonly strong and durable. The fibres
of the Agave vivipara have been used for the same purpose,
and those of the young- leaves the Ita palm (Mauritia flexuosa)
are woven into hammocks, ropes, and baskets, by the War-
ran and Arawaak Indians: these ropes do not, as at present
manufactured, sustain long exposure or damp situations.
The cultivation of the Piazaba palm (Attalea funifera) might
prove of great importance. This palm is indigenous on the
Rio Negro and the Cassiquiare ; and of its petioles a cordage
is manufactured, which is extremely light, and floats upon
the water, and is more durable in the navigation of rivers
than ropes of hemp. It is extensively used in the Brazilian
navy, and large quantities are exported to Para, and to many
of the West India Islands.