J 12 THE GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 



and of an agreeable acid taste. It is still very 

 highly esteemed ; it is eaten fresh, and its 

 juice is used as an ingredient in the favourite 

 and delicious sherbets of which the orientals 

 are so fond. It is repeatedly alluded to in 

 Scripture. It is specified by the Israelites 

 while murmuring at Moses, as one of the great- 

 est luxuries they enjoyed in Egypt, (Num. 

 xx. 5.) In Solomon's Song it is mentioned as 

 one of the most valued plants, (chap. iv. 13 ;) 

 and imitations of the fruit were among the 

 chief ornaments of the temple. 



The oak (Quercus robur) is frequently found 

 in Palestine, but the tree mentioned in Scrip- 

 ture under that name is generally considered 

 to be the terebinth tree, (Pistachia terebinthua.) 

 It yields a resinous substance, as do several 

 allied species. The produce of the terebinth 

 is called scio, or Cyprus turpentine ; gum 

 mastic is the produce of Pistachio, lentiscus ; 

 and the pistachio nuts are the fruit of P. vera. 

 It was under a terebinth tree that Abraham 

 entertained the angels, (Gen. xviiL;) and under 

 a similar one in Shechem Jacob buried the 

 idols brought by his people from Mesopo- 

 tamia, (Gen. xxxv. 4.) It abounds near Jeru- 

 salem. 



The carob tree (Oeratonia siliqua) is plentiful 

 in Palestine, as also throughout the south 01 

 Europe. It is a tree from thirty to fifty feet high, 

 with small bunches of red flowers, and is cul- 

 tivated for the sake of its pods, which contain 

 a dry pulp, in which the seeds are imbedded. 



