34 FAMILY HERBAL. 



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<he tree makes a very singular appearance. "The 

 fruit is a pod^ long:, but slender^ and containing twa 

 seeds : tliese are %Yhat we call the ben-nuts. They 

 are of an oblong figure^ and irregularly rigid ; the 

 shell is hard^ but the kernel fat^ sofltj and oilj^ and 

 c'f a bitter taste. 



r 



The kernel operates bj vomit and stool violently, 

 and is seldom used. It affords an oil which has nei- 

 tlier smell nor taste^ arid which will keep a long time 

 ■without growing rancid. 



The Benjamin Tree. Ardor henzionifera, 



. A BEAUTIFUL tree frequent in the East, and 

 there affording the fine fragrant resin of its name : 

 it is also of tte growth of Americaj and thrivet 

 there, but it yields no resin. It is a moderately 

 tall tree; the bark is smooth and brown; the 

 leaves are broad, oblong> and not unlike those, 

 of the lemon-tree. The flowers are whitish, 

 and very inconsiderable. The fruit is as big a* 

 a nutnaeg, and consists of a fleshy substance on 

 the outside, and a kernel inclosed in a thin and brit^ 

 lie shell within. The tree is properly of the bay- 

 Iree kind. 



They cut the branches of the benjamin trecs^ 

 iind the juice which flows out hardens by de- 

 grees into that reddish and white fragrant resin 

 we see. It is an excellent medicine in disorders of 

 the breast and lungs : and a tincture of it made 

 vyith spirit of wine makes water milky, and this 

 mixture is called virgins'-milk ; ii is good to cleanse 

 ^he skin. 



>VooD Betoxt. Biitonica s^lvcstris, 

 A COMMON wild herb, but of very great vir* 



