284 SCRIPTURE NATURAL HISTORY. 



THE BALSAM TREE. 



THE Balsam tree, though not a native of Judaea, was cultivated 

 in great perfection in the gardens near Jericho, on the banks of 

 the Jordan. Josephus, speaking of the Vale of Jericho, says, 

 'Now here is the most fruitful country of Judsea, which bears a 

 vast number of palm trees, besides the balsam tree, whose sprouts 

 they cut with sharp stones, and at the incisions they gather the 

 juice which drops down like tears.' The Balsam produced by 

 these trees was of such consequence as to be noticed by all the 

 writers who treated of Judaea. When Alexander the Great was in 

 Juria, a spoonful of the balm was all that could be collected on a 

 summer's day ; and in the most plentiful year, the great royal park 

 of these trees yielded only six gallons, and the smaller one only 

 one gallon. It was consequently so dear, that it sold for double its 

 weight in silver. But from the great demand for it, adulteration 

 soon followed, and a spurious sort grew into common use, at a less 

 price. Justin, indeed, makes the balsam tree the source of all the 

 national wealth ; for, in speaking of this part of the country he 

 says, 'The wealth of the Jewish nation arose from the opobalsam- 

 um, which grows only in those countries; for it is a valley like a 

 garden, which is environed with continual hills, and as it were en- 

 closed with a wall. The space of the valley contains two hundred 

 thousand acres, and it is called Jericho. In that valley there is a 

 wood, as admirable for its fruitful ness as for its delight ; for its 

 is intermingled with palm trees, and opobalsamurn. The trees of 

 the opobalsamum have a resemblance to the fir trees, but they are 

 lower, and are planted and husbanded after the manner of vines ; 

 and on a set season of the year they sweat balsam. The darkness 

 of the place, is, besides, as wonderful as the fruitfulness of it. 

 For, although the sun shines no where hotter in the world, there 

 is naturally a moderate and perpetual gloominess of the air.' 

 In the estimate of the revenues which Cleopatra derived from 

 the region round about Jericho, which had been given to her by 

 Antony, and which Herod afterwards farmed of her, it is said, 

 ' This country bears that balsam which is the most precious drug 

 that is there, and grows there only.' And in the account of She- 

 ba's visit to Solomon, from a desire to see a person so celebrated 

 for his wisdom, it is said that she gave him twenty talents of gold, 

 and an immense quantity of spices and precious stones ; ' and they 

 say, 1 adds the Jewish historian, ' that we are indebted for the root 

 of that balsam, which our country still bears, to this woman's gift.' 

 This balsam is mentioned in the Scriptures, under the name of * the 

 balm of Gilead,' Jer. viii. 22 ; ch. xlvi. 11 ; ch. li. 8. 



The following account of the tree is extracted by Dr. Harris from 

 Mr. Bruce. 



The balessan, balsam, or balm, is an evergreen shrub, or tree, 

 which grows to about fourteen feet high, spontaneously, and with- 



