The Ufoful Family Herbal, 
98 
The Copat TREE. 
ARBOR COPALIFERA. 
A Large Tree of South-America. It grows toa 
"* great Heighth, and is tall, ftrait, and tole- 
rably regular; the Bark of the Trunk is of a 
deep Brown. The Branches are bitter. The 
Leaves are large and oblong, and they are blunt 
at the Ends; they are deeply cut in at the Edges, 
and if it were not that they are a great deal lone- 
er in Proportion to their Breadth, they would be 
very like thofe of the Oak; the Flowers are mo- 
derately large, and full of Threads; the Fruit 
is round, and of a Blood Red when ripe. 7 
- We ufe a Refin which ouzes from the Bark of 
large Trees of this Species in great Plenty, and is 
called Copal; it is of a pale yellow Colour, fome- 
‘times brownifh, and often colourlefs, and like 
Gum Arabie ; we have a Way of calling ita Gum, 
but it is truly a Refin; and the yellow Pieces of 
itare fo bright and tranfparent, that they very 
much refemble the pureft Amber. | 
It is good againft the Whites, and againft 
Weakneffes left after the venereal Difeafe, but it 
is not fo much ufed on thefe Occafions as it de- 
ferves, It is excellent for making Varnifhes; and 
what is commonly called Amber Varnith among’ 
our Artifts is made from it. Amber will make 
a very fine Varnifh, better than that of Copal, 
er any other kind; but it is dear. ee 
‘We fometimes fee Heads of Canes of the co- 
~ lourlefs Copal, which feem to be of Amber, only _ Bee 
they want its Colour, thefe are made of the fame. 
Refin, in the Eg/t-Jndies where it grows harder. 
