272 ODOROGRAPHIA. 
the place of its origin. ‘‘ Near to this,” he says, “is the most 
happy land of Sabeans, Saba, Sheba, or Arabia Felix, and they 
are a very great people. Among them frankincense, myrrh, and 
cinnamon grow, and in the coast that is about Saba, the balsam 
also, among the myrrh trees behind Azab ; all along the coasts, to 
the Straits of Babelmandeb, is its native country.” We need not 
doubt that it was early transplanted into Arabia, that is, into 
the south part of Arabia Felix, immediately fronting Azab. The 
first plantation that succeeded seems to have been at Petra, the 
ancient metropolis of Arabia, now called Beder or Beder .Huuein. 
(Hall states, ‘Economic Plants of India,’ Caleutta, 1889, that it 
is found on both sides of the Red Sea, south of 22° N. lat., and 
is also recorded from several places on the Nubian coast and in 
Abyssinia. It is met with on the Asiatic side of Ghizandad in 
Arabia, at Aden and Yemen.) Afterwards, being transplanted 
into Palestine, it obtained the name of Balsamum Judaicum and 
Balm of Gilead, and became an article of commerce there. 
According to Bruce, the tree is only 5 or 6 feet high, branching 
much, with the aspect of a standard cherry tree, having red 
branches and white flowers, but according to other observers the 
tree attains a height of 14 to 20 feet. 
In the beginning of April the trees drop their juice from gashes 
which are made in the smaller branches into vessels set under them 
to receive it. A tree will not yield more than 10 to 15 drachms 
in one season. Another account says the wound in the tree is 
made in July or August, when the juice is in its strongest circula- 
tion; it is then received into small earthen bottles, and every 
day’s produce is poured into a larger vessel, which is kept closely 
corked. The Balsam of Judea appears to be the same balsam 
adulterated. An inferior sort of balsam is prepared by boiling the 
twigs in a quantity of water; the balsamic matter rises to the 
surface and is skimmed off. After they have procured all they 
can, it is said that they increase the fire, and a large quantity of 
thicker balsam rises, which is preserved separately and is prin- 
cipally the description which is sent to Europe. The other can 
only be obtained as presents, and that which naturally distils from 
the trees hardly being sufficient to supply the Seraglio and great 
officers of State, there is none of it sent out of the country. 
This in Europe is never obtained genuine. Guibourt mentions 
having obtained it pure, but says it is of great rarity, and that it 
