BOOK XXIV. LXVII. lOQ-LXVIII. III 



the others. The seed of all the trees is like the 

 lentil, only both grain and pod are smaller. It is 

 gathered in autumn ; if gathered earlier, its tonic pro- 

 perties are too powerful. The pods are steeped in 

 rain-water and then pounded in a mortar. The 

 juice is then extracted from them by presses, and 

 finally thickened into lozenges by exposure to the 

 sun in basins." A juice is also extracted from the 

 leaves, but it is less efficacious. For tanning leather 

 they use the seed instead of gall-nuts. The juice 

 of the leaves and of the Galatian acacia is very dark, 

 and considered of httle vahie, as is also the juice of 

 the deep-red kind. The purple gum, the dun- 

 coloured, and that which dissolves most easily — 

 these have the highest tonic and cooling quali- 

 ties '^ — are particularly useful for eye-salves. For 

 these purposes the lozenges are washed by some, 

 roasted by others and by others thoroughlv burnt. 

 Thev dye the hair, and cure erysipelas, creeping 

 ulcers, moist complaints of the body,*^ gather- 

 ings, bruised joints, chilblains and hangnails.'' They 

 check excessive menstruation in women and are 

 good for prolapsus of the uterus and anus, also for 

 the eyes and for sores of the mouth and of the 

 genitals. 



LXVm. Our common thorn also, from which the uiher thom 

 fullers' coppers are filled, has a root with uses. 

 Throughout the Spains, man}' use it as a scent and as 

 an ingredient of ointments, calHng it aspalathus. 



* Mayhoffs conjecture, sunl for esl, with vi of the MSS. 

 retained, is perhaps simpler. The sense, however, is not 

 altered. 



' Perhaps excessive or offensive persjiiration. 



" The eye-complaint may be referred to here. 



