OCR Text |
Show Dragons May Be Dead, but Their Blood Stay Medan. Sumatra. Folry tales ol knights and dragons may pass with mote credulous generations, but trade in dragon blood goes on. Only the modern dragon blood Is a red gum obtained from the ripe fruit of pnlm trees growing In Slam and the hutch Kust Indies, which finds prosaic uses In pharmacy and for coloring varnish. Production Is purely a native In dnstry. the American consul reports Although some natives have lands planted to palms, most of them use the wild trees as a source of supply I and sell the blood, obtained by steaming, cruslilna or both, to Chinese trades In the villages. When traders have acquired con siderahle quantities they ship to Chi nese dealers In Pennng and Singapore. Singa-pore. Straits Settlements, whence the material Is exported to Kurope and America. |