greatly in its dry nut-like fruits. The Balm of Gilead 

 is believed to be one of the earliest articles of commerce 

 known, even as far back as the time of the patriarch Ja- 

 cob, as the Midiauite merchantmen, to whom Joseph was 

 sold, were then on their way to Gilead to complete their 

 camel loads with a choice supply of that costly balsam 

 for the Egyptian market. It often sold for twice its 

 weight in silver. It was cultivated only in the King's 

 garden in Judea, the revenue from which belonged exclu- 

 sively to the Crown. 



Strabo speaks of it. Titus carried some of it to Rome. 

 Pompey exhibited one of the trees in a triumphal entry. 

 When Alexander visited Judea, one teaspoonful per day 

 and seven gallons per year was the entire product. 



Frankincense, so often mentioned in Scripture, is a 

 gum from a tree of this same order with the last. It has 

 been used from the remotest times by the Hebrews and 

 Egyptians in their sacrifices. It exudes from the straight 

 trunk of the BosweUia-serrata, a lofty tree, native of the 

 mountains of Central India. Frankincense is still used 

 as incense in Catholic churches, and somewhat as a med- 

 icine. 



The LiGNALOE, Aquilaria Agallochum, or Eagle-wood, 

 is found only in Asia. It grows sometimes to the height 

 of one hundred and twenty feet. The heart-wood is 

 loaded with aromatic properties, and is one of the most 

 grateful of perfumes. It has been held more precious 

 than gold. "All thy garments shall smell of myrrh, 

 aloes and cassia." 



This was one of the drugs, one hundred pounds of 

 which Nichodemus brought after the Crucifixion, in which, 

 with the linen clothes, was wrapped the body of our 

 Lord ; it was therefore a very costly preparation. We 

 have no plant of more approximate affinity than our 



