662 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



the wood of this species. The leaf -buds are used on the Continent in the 

 preparation of a kind of beer, which is employed in scorbutic and rheumatic 

 complaints. A. balsamea, the Canadian Balsam or Bahn of Gilead Fir, 

 yields our officinal Canada Balsam. A. canadensis, the Hemlock Spruce 

 Fir, is said to exude an oleo-resin resembling Canada Balsam. A. Ficea, 

 the Silver Fir, yields Strasbourgh turpentine. Its leaf-buds, like those of 

 A. excelsa, are employed in the preparation of a kind of beer, which is 

 used for similar purposes. A. nigra, the Black Spruce Fir. — The young 

 branches of this when boiled in water, and the solution afterwards concen- 

 trated, form Essence of Spruce, which is employed in the preparation of 

 Spruce Beer. A. Lavix of Lambert, the Larix europcea of De CandoUe, 

 yields Larch or Venice turpentine, and a kind of Manna, called Larch 

 Manna or Manna de Brian9on. The bark is sometimes used in tanning. 



Araucaria. — The species of this genus, known as A. imbricata, from 

 Chili, and A. Bidwillii, from Moreton Bay, have edible seeds. Those of the 

 former are extensively used for food by the natives of Chili and Patagonia. 

 It is said, that "the fruit of one large tree will maintain eighteen persons 

 for a year." Both species also yield hard and durable timber. 



Callitris quadrivalvis, the Arar Tree, yields the resin called Sandarach, 

 Juniper-resin, or Gum Juniper. This is imported from Mogadore, and em- 

 ployed in the preparation of varnishes. When powdered it is called pounce. 

 The wood of this tree is also very durable, and is used by the Turks for the 

 floors and ceilings of their mosques. 



Cedrus. — Cedrus Libani, the Cedar of Lebanon, and C. Deodara, the 

 Deodar, are most valuable timber trees. The turpentine obtained from the 

 latter is used in India, where it is in great repute in skin diseases and as 

 an application to ulcers, under the name of kelon-ke-tel. 



Cupressns, the Cypress. — The wood of some species is very durable. Some 

 suppose that the Gopher-wood of the Bible was obtained from species of 

 Cupressus and other allied Coniferte. 



Dammara. — D. australis, the Kawrie or Cowdie Pine of New Zealand, 

 produces a timber which is much valued for making masts and spars. A 

 gum-resin known under the names of Australian Copal, Kawrie Gum, and 

 Australian Dammar, is largely imported into this country ; it is chiefly 

 used in the preparation of varnishes. D. orientalis yields a somewhat similar 

 gum-resin, known as Indian Dammar. 



Juniperus.—J. communis, the common Juniper. The fruit, and the vola- 

 tile oil obtained from it and other parts of the plant, have stimulant and 

 diuretic properties. The oil distilled in Britain from the unripe fruit is 

 officinal in the British Pharmacopoeia. Oil of Juniper is also used to 

 flavour English gin and Hollands. Turpentine is, however, commonly 

 employed for the former on account of its comparative cheapness. Juniper 

 wood has a reddish colour, and is used occasionally for veneers. /. Oxycedrus. 

 —In France, a tarry oil, called Huile de Cade, is obtained by diy distillation 

 from the wood of this plant ; it is principally used in veterinary medicine. 

 The wood is very diurable. /. bermudiana is the Red or Pencil Cedar, and 

 /. virginiana, the Virginian Red Cedar. The wood of these is used for 

 Cedar.. pencils ; that of the former is considered the best. /. Sabina, the 

 common Savin. — The fresh and dried tops and the oil obtained from the 

 former are officinal ; they have acrid, stimulant, diuretic, and emmenagogue 

 properties. In large doses they are irritant poisons, and have been frequently 

 token to cause abortion. 



Pinus. — Several species of this genus are valuable timber trees ; as F. 

 sylvestris, the Scotch Fir, which yields the timber known as Dantzic or 

 Riga Fir, and Russian Deal ; P. Strobus, the White Pine or Deal of the 

 United States ; F. miiis and F. palustns, the YeUow Pine or Deal ; F. rigidct, 

 P. Lambertiana, &c. &c. The wood of these trees is used to an enormous 

 extent in this country and elsewhere. Pinus palustris, the Swamp Pine, or 

 Long-leaved Pine, " furnishes by far the greater proportion of turpentine, 

 tar, &c., consumed in the United States, or sent from thence to other 

 countries." P. Toeda, the Frankincense Pine, and P. Pinaster, the Cluster 

 Pine, more especially the former, are also sources from which we derive 

 our supplies of turpentine. The concrete turpentine, known as Thus 



