304 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



were afterwards inclosed as parks or gar- 

 dens, and most religiously kept for the Kings 

 of Israel. The largest of these enclosures 

 contained about twenty acres : and both of 

 them were said to produce but seven gallons 

 of this valuable aromatic sap, in the most 

 favourable year. When fresh, it was of a 

 pale colour, and of the consistency of oil, 

 but, by keeping, it was converted into a red- 

 dish gum, clear and transparent. It was ob- 

 tained by making incisions in the shrubs; but 

 the most valuable was that which oozed 

 from the natural cracks in the bark. From 

 the pruning of the shrubs and leaves was 

 procured an inferior kind of balm. 



When Alexander was in Judea, (332 years 

 b. c.) he limited the quantity of balm that 

 was to be taken from both these gardens, to 

 one spoonful per day. 



Pompey boasted of having borne one of 

 these shrubs in his triumph ; and the Empe- 

 rors Vespasian, both father and son, brought 

 one of these balm-trees to Rome, where it 

 was publicly exhibited. 



At the sacking and destruction of Jerusa- 

 lem, the Jews endeavoured to destroy these 

 sacred shrubs, in order to prevent their fall- 

 ing into the hands of the heathens ; but the 



