BIBLICAL NAMES 



The Almond of the Bible is the common almond which is 

 wild in Syria and Palestine. " Aaron's rod that budded was 

 a branch of an almond tree ; the bowls of the Golden 

 Candlestick were designed from the almond blossom. Even 

 at the present time English workmen call the glass drops for 

 ornamenting candlesticks almonds.'"* The Apple of the Bible 

 was more probably an Apricot. The husks of the prodigal 

 son were probably the Locust-beans, sometimes called St. 

 John's bread, but it is quite probable that the "locusts" 

 eaten by St. John were the insects. At any rate, locusts are 

 regularly eaten in the East. The Locust Tree (Ceratonia 

 siliqtui), or Algaroba or Carob, has large, dark-purple pods ; 

 there is a pulpy material between the seeds which forms 

 a valuable cattle food. The seeds are said to have been the 

 original "carat" weight of jewellers. 



The Spikenard {Nardostachys jatamansi) belongs to the 

 natural order Valerianacece, It is a wild plant of Bhutan 

 found near Rangasnati, in India, and in ancient times it was 

 transported on camels by the regular caravan route to Syria, 

 Greece, and Rome. It was then worth about £3. 10s. per 

 lb. The essence is obtained from the roots, but one hundred 

 pounds of roots will furnish only half a pound of essence. 

 Now it has but little value.^ 



The Tares sown amongst the wheat were probably the 

 seed of the Darnel. When growing, this grass is very like 

 wheat, and it would be quite possible to mistake one for 

 the other until the flowers and fruit are formed. Darnel is 

 one of the very few poisonous grasses. It is said that the 

 poison is produced by a fungus which is found in the grain. 

 When darnel seed is ground up with wheat the bread 

 becomes dangerous, for the poison produces severe headache, 

 ^ Heuz^, Les Plantes Industrielles. 

 367 



