138 PLANTS IN SCRIPTURE 



Whether this ever had its natural growth, or were art 

 original native plant in Judaea, much more that it was 

 peculiar unto that country, a greater doubt may arise : 

 while we read in Pausanias, Strabo, and Diodorus, 

 that it grows also in Arabia, and find in Theophrastus, 1 

 that it grew in two gardens about Jericho in Judaea. 

 And more especially while we seriously consider that 

 notable discourse between Abdella, Abdachim, and 

 Alpinus, concluding the natural and original place of 

 this singular plant to be in Arabia, about Mecha and 

 Medina, where it still plentifully groweth, and mountains 

 abound therein ; 2 from whence it hath been carefully 

 transplanted by the bashas of Grand Cairo, into the 

 garden of Matarea : where, when it dies, it is repaired 

 again from those parts of Arabia, from whence the 

 Grand Signior yearly receiveth a present of balsam 

 from the xerifF of Mecha, still called by the Arabians 

 balessan ; whence they believe arose the Greek, appella- 

 tion balsam. And since these balsam plants are not 

 now to be found in Judaea, and though purposely 

 cultivated, are often lost in Judaea, but everlastingly 

 live, and naturally renew in Arabia, they probably 

 concluded, that those of Judaea were foreign and 

 transplanted from these parts. 



1 Lib. IX., cap. 6 2 Prosper Alpinus, de Balsamo. 



