342 SlNO-lRANICA 



exclusively as a tree peculiar to Turkistan and Persia. The correct 

 identification of the tree is Populus balsamifera, var. genuina Wesm. 1 

 The easternmost boundary of this tree is presented by the hills of 

 Kumbum east of the Kukunor, which geographically is part of Central 

 Asia. The same species occurs also in Siberia and North America; it 

 is called Hard by the French of Canada. It is met with, further, wild 

 and cultivated, in the inner ranges of the north-western Himalaya, 

 from Kunawar, altitude 8000 to 13000 feet, westwards. In western 

 Tibet it is found up to 14000 feet. 2 The buds contain a balsam-resin 

 which is considered antiscorbutic and diuretic, and was formerly im- 

 ported into Europe under the name baume facot and tacamahaca 8 com- 

 munis (or vulgaris). WATT says that he can find no account of this 

 exudation being utilized in India. It appears from the Chinese records 

 that the tree must have been known to the Iranians of Central Asia 

 and Persia, and we shall not fail in assuming that these were also the 

 discoverers of the medical properties of the balsam. It is quite credible 

 that it was efficacious in alleviating pain caused by carious teeth, as it 

 would form an air-tight coating around them. 



1 MATSUMURA, Shokubutsu mei-i, No. 2518. 



8 G. WATT, Dictionary of the Economic Products of India, Vol. VI, p. 325. 



1 The tacamahaca (a word of American-Indian origin) was first described 

 by NICOLOSO DE MONARDES (Dos libros el uno que trata de todas las cosas que traen 

 de nuestras Indias Occidentales, Sevilla, 1569) : " Assi mismo traen de nueva Espafia 

 otro genero de Goma, o resina, que llaman los Indios Tacamahaca. Y este mismo 

 nombre dieron nuestros Espanoles. Es resina sacada por incision de un Arbol 

 grande como Alamo, que es muy oloroso, echa el fruto Colorado como simiente de 

 Peonia. Desta Resina o goma, usan mucho los Indios en sus enfermedades, mayor- 

 mente en hinchazones, en qualquiera parte del cuerpo que se engendran, por que las 

 ressuelue madura, y deshaze marauillosamente," etc. A copy of this very scarce work 

 is in the Edward E. Ayer collection of the Newberry Library, Chicago; likewise 

 the continuation Segunda parte del libro, de las cosas que se traen de nuestras 

 Indias Occidentales (Sevilla, 1571). 



