a hard, thick
pericarp. Another nut-producing tree is the _sapucaia_ (_Lecythis
ollaria_), whose nuts are enclosed in a larger pericarp, and are
considered to be better flavoured than those first described. The crop
is a variable one, the export in 1905 having been 198,226 hectolitres,
while that of 1906 was 96,770 hectolitres. It could undoubtedly be
largely increased. Vegetable wax, which is an excellent substitute for
beeswax, is a product of the _carnahuba_ palm (_Copernicia cerifera_),
and is an important export from Ceara. Palm, or piassava fibre,
derived from the _piassava_ palm, is used in the manufacture of
brooms, brushes, &c. It is found as far south as southern Bahia, and
the export could be very largely increased. The export of cabinet
woods is not large, considering the forest area of Brazil and the
variety and quality of the woods. This is principally due to the cost
and difficulties of transporting timbers to the coast. The export is
confined principally to rosewood. Of the medicinal plants, the
best-known products are ipecacuanha, sarsaparilla, copaiba, jaborandi
and cinchona, but this is only a part of the list. Besides these,
tonka beans, anatto, vanilla, and castor-oil seeds form a part of the
exports.

The mineral exports are surprisingly small. Gold was discovered by the
Portuguese soon after their settlement of the coast in the 16th
century, but the washings were poor and attracted little attention.
The richer deposits of Minas Geraes were discovered about 1693, and
those of Matto Grosso early in the following century. Abandoned placer
mines are to be found in every part of the unsettled interior, showing
how thoroughly it had been explored by gold-hunters in those early
days. Some good mines, like Morro Velho and the abandoned Gongo Soco,
have been developed in Minas Geraes, but the great majority are small
and not very productive. Diamonds were discovered in Minas Geraes,
near the town now called Diamantina, during the first half of the 18th
century, the dates given ranging from 1725 to 1746, but the
productiveness of the district has greatly decreased. Diamonds have
also been found in Bahia, Goyaz and Parana. Other precious stones
found in Brazil are the topaz, ruby aquamarine, tourmaline,
chrysoberyl, garnet and amethyst. Among the minerals are silver,
platinum, copper, iron, lead, manganese, chromium, quicksilver,
bism