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Adhesives, Paints, and Varnishes: Senegal

The principal gums are arabic, Senegal, mesquite, tragacanth, Bassora. They are principally employed in the manufacture of mucilage, also in medicine, pharmacy, confectionery, calico printing in the preparation of the inks, and also for sizes.

Gums Arabic and Senegal. These gums exude from various trees in Africa and Asia, and are sold under various trade terms denoting the localities from which they come.

Gum Mesquite. - A substance similar to gum arabic, but produced in plants growing in the dry regions of Mexico and adjacent parts of the United States. It differs from the other gums in the fact that its principle is not precipitated by borax. Gums arabic, Senegal, and mesquite are easily soluble in hot or cold water, forming mucilage. They can be sepa- ADHESIVES, PAINTS, AND VARNISHES rated from water by the addition of alcohol or subacetate of lead. They are coagulated by borax, except gum mesquite.

Gums tragacanth and Bassora swell, but do not perfectly dissolve, in water.

They can, however, be rubbed with water into a very adhesive paste, which is not, strictly speaking, a solution.