120 MUSTARD. 



were great trees. This, I conceive, is all that a liberal inter 

 pretation of the passage could demand. There are several va 

 rieties of the sinapisy or mustard-tree, in Syria, mentioned by 

 Hasselquist, but not used generally by the natives. One of these 

 varieties, near Acco, and on the plain of Esdraelon, grows to 

 the height of nine or even ten feet, and is several inches in 

 circumference, producing branches sufficiently large to bear 

 the weight of a bird. In several works the phytolacca is sup 

 posed to be the mustard of Scripture. This plant, however, 

 is a well-known native of America, having been introduced into 

 Europe in comparatively modern times, and is thought to 

 have no claim to be considered the mustard referred to by 

 the Evangelists. 



