352 ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE BOTANY OF [ Conifere- 
chiefly valued by the natives for its resin; and as this is only obtained by exposing the 
turpentine to heat, the oil, the more valuable product, is dissipated to procure the 
resin; but by adopting a very simple still, I was able to obtain the resin as good 
as ever, for the purposes of the natives; while the oil of turpentine, which distilled 
over, was pronounced, on being sent to the General Hospital of Calcutta, to be of 
“‘ very superior quality.” The Deodar or kelon, also yields a coarser, very fluid kind of 
turpentine, called kelon ke tel, which is much valued in Upper India as a stimulating 
application to foul and indolent ulcers, and is no doubt what is alluded to by 
Avicenna (v. supra). The leaves and small twigs of the Deodar are likewise 
brought down to the plains, being much used in native medicine. A very fine resin 
is secreted on the cones of the Khutrow pine, which no doubt would yield a superior 
turpentine, as well probably as some of the other species. From the Himalayan 
pine forests, resin and oil of turpentine might be obtained in any quantity, as well 
as pitch and tar. Many of these are described in the native works on Materia Medica, 
under the names of aluk, zifh-rutub, zifh-yabis, kutran and rateeanuj.. The Greek name 
of the last is said to be kulphoonia, evidently xoAcpowe. Pitch and tar have both been 
made from the Himalayan pines; but have not yet been introduced into the public 
service, for which I believe these are still imported from Europe. | | 
Though almost every part of a pine-tree usually abounds in turpentine, it is occa- 
sionally absent, or present only in small quantity in the seeds, which then contain a com- 
paratively bland oil, easily becoming rancid. The seeds of several of these species are 
much eaten in the countries where they are indigenous, as of the stone pine, Pinus 
Pinea, and of P. Cembra in Europe; of Gingko in Japan, of P. Lambertiana in Cali- 
fornia, and of Araucaria in the southern hemisphere; so, in the Himalayas, the seed 
of one species forms one of the principal articles of subsistence in Kunawur, as well as 
of considerable trade from the hills to the plains. This is Pinus Gerardiana, which is 
called neoza, and is by some thought to be the same as the chilghoza described by Mr. 
Elphinstone, as affording edible seed in Caubul. Occupying countries where there is 
frequently scarcity of food, the inner bark of P. sylvestris, ground and mixed with 
barley-meal, is made into cakes in Lapland. As an aromatic principle is, in addition, 
secreted by some, the tops of the Black, Hemlock and Norway firs are used in making 
spruce beer. This aromatic principle, dependent on the presence of an essential 
oil, is sometimes united with acrid principle, as in the Savin, used to keep up irritation 
from blistered surfaces. J uniper berries, known to secrete sugar, as well as an essen- 
tial oil, have long been noted for their diuretic properties, but are as famous for 
their employment in the manufactory of the spirit in whose honor modern palaces 
areraised. These berries were former] y much employed in Europe, and at the present day 
may be bought in Indian bazars under the names ubhul and hoober, being considered 
diuretic and emmenagogue; they are now brought from the Himalayas; but formerly 
from Caubul: arkonus and baratee, corruptions of arceuthos and barathyos, are 
assigned as Greek names. The cypress, also, formerly much esteemed, is so in the 
present 
