potassium chromate are added, and either a transient
blood-red colour or a more permanent deep purple is obtained. The former
colour is due to gallic acid. If a tannin infusion be largely diluted
with hard water and a little iodine solution added, the pyrogallol tans
yield either a purple-red or a dark blue colour, the former being a
reaction of gallic acid. Pyrogallol tans yield no precipitate with
bromine water. They yield a yellow or brown colour when one drop of
infusion is added to concentrated sulphuric acid.
Myrabolans is one of the most important of the pyrogallol tanning
materials. It is a name given to the dried fruit of _Terminalia chebula_
and other species of Indian trees. The nuts resemble an elongated
walnut. They are dried and exported from many parts of India to all
parts of the world, but largely to this country. The varieties of
commerce are named according to origin and quality: thus we have "J1's,"
_i.e._ Jubbelpore, No. 1 quality, "R1's" (Rajpore, No. 1),
"B1's" (Bhimley, No. 1), etc. The little difference in tannin strength
(about 32 per cent.) in these varieties is usually compensated by
corresponding differences in price. The quality of myrabolans cannot be
safely judged by appearance. Much bloom is deposited by myrabolans
liquors, especially by "J's." Myrabolans are amongst the most sugary of
tanning materials, containing up to 5-1/2 per cent. It is therefore one
of the best materials for giving a plump leather. Broadly speaking,
those varieties which yield most sugar yield least bloom, and _vice
versâ_. Myrabolans tannin has a small affinity for hide substance and
penetrates the hide very slowly. It gives a "mellow" tannage, but a
bright, good colour, which characteristics are imparted to the leather
when the material is blended with other materials containing dark or
astringent tannins. When used alone it yields a rather spongy leather,
and it is not considered a good weight-giving material, though its
acid-producing powers are very helpful to other more astringent tannins.
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