London Published June 4. 1811. by G. & W. Nicholl Pall Mall.
Plate 8.
(Dibben Fashook,) Gum Ammoniac Fly.
| Drawn by J. G. Jackson. | Engraved J. C. Stadler. |
London Published June 4. 1811. by G. & W. Nicholl Pall Mall.
Gum Arabic.—The gum called Marocco or Barbary gum, is produced from a high thorny tree called Attaleh, having leaves similar to the Arar, or Gum Sandrac tree, and the juniper. The best kind of Barbary gum is procured from the trees of Marocco, Ras-el-wed, in the province of Suse and Bled-hummer, in the province of Abda; the secondary qualities are the produce of Shedma, Duquella, and other provinces; the tree grows abundantly in the Atlas mountains, and is found also in Bled-el-jerrêde. The gum, when new, emits a faint smell, and when stowed in the warehouse, it is heard to crack spontaneously for several weeks; and this cracking is the surest criterion of new gum, as it never does so when old; there is, however, scarcely any difference in the quality. The Attaleh is not so large a tree as the Arar, which produces the Sandrac gum, nor does it reach the size of the Aurwar tree, which produces the gum Senegal. It has a low crooked stem, and its branches, from the narrowness of its leaves (long and scanty), have a harsh, withered, and unhealthy appearance at the time it yields the most gum, that is, during the hot and parching months of July and August; but although not an ornamental tree, it is a most useful plant, and will always be considered valuable. Its wood is hard, and takes a good polish; its seeds, which are enclosed in a pericarpium, resemble those of the lupin, yield a reddish dye, and are used by the tanners in the preparation of leather. These seeds attract goats, who are very fond of eating them. The more sickly the tree appears, the more gum it yields; and the hotter the weather, the more prolific it is. A wet winter and a cool or mild summer are unfavourable to the production of gum.
Oil of Olives.—The province of Suse produces great abundance of this oil.[123] The people of Ras-el-wed make two sorts, Tabaluht, and Zit-el-aud;[124] the former is made from the olives when green, and nearly ripe, with which they frequently grind limes, or wild thyme. This oil is very rich, and white, and not inferior to the best Lucca or Florence oil, and might, with due attention, be made a considerable article of commerce to this country. The Zit-el-aud, is made from the olives when quite ripe, and alter they have laid on the ground some time; in this state they yield the greatest quantity of oil, but it has a strong, and often a rancid taste, which is not, however, disliked by the natives. It is used in Europe in the woollen and soap manufactories.
Oil Arganic is also in abundance in Suse: it is much used for frying fish,[125] and burning in lamps.
Pitch.—The pitch of the Arabs, called Kitran, is obtained from the wild juniper, which abounds in the Atlas mountains, as well as in many parts of the champaign country: the manner of obtaining it is thus: they dig a large and deep round hole, in the side of which, near the bottom, they excavate another in the form of a cauldron, which they plaister round; they then fill up the communicating aperture with stones or bricks, leaving a small channel of communication; the large hole is then filled with the boughs of the wild juniper, which they call Toga, broken into small pieces, after which the mouth of the furnace is closed up, and fire set to the wood; the sap, which forms the pitch, then oozes out of the burning boughs, and runs into the communicating hole; when the whole is cooled, it is taken out, and put into skins or bladders.