THE PISTACIAS. 37 



frequently do so, were it not cut down for firewood. 

 A tree which produces nothing eatable must be 

 turned to account in some way. Either food or fuel 

 is the alternative. But in the Greek Archipelago the 

 Mastic is cultivated for an aromatic resin which it 

 yields. This is used in the East to strengthen the 

 gums and to perfume the breath : in England we 

 make a varnish of it. Dentists also use it to stop 

 carious teeth. The habit of chewing Mastic gum 

 must have been universal, for the word " masticate " 

 is connected with the name of the tree (Greek 

 Lexicon). A beverage is prepared from this gum. 

 In the late war between Greece and Turkey it was 

 said of an unsuccessful Greek officer, " He is of no use 

 but to sit in a cafe and drink Mastic ! " The ancient 

 habit of gum chewing has been revived in America, 

 where the substance used is resin from the spruce 

 forests of Maine. As the supply of this resin is not 

 equal to the demand, an imitation is manufactured 

 which consists of 75 per cent, sugar and 25 per cent, 

 paraffin. 



The wood is considered better than any other 

 for toothpicks. Martial says : 



" Lentiscum melius ; sed si tibi frondea cuspis 



Defuerit, dentes penna levare potest." 



(There's nothing like fresh Mastic wood for toothpicks ; but failing 

 this a quill may serve your turn.) 



In Chios, an island famed for Mastic resin, many 

 of these trees were killed by frost in 1850, whereas 

 the tree at Bordighera was uninjured. 



Small red crescent-shaped galls infest the 

 leaves : I have not seen these on any other plant. 

 They are not unsightly, whatever harm they may do 



