588 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1748. 



This occasioned Mr. Ray to range it under the last, supposing its fruit to be a 

 berry, which it is not. This learned author could not think that the mail-anschi 

 was the cyprus, because of the difference in the descriptions among authors, and 

 of the imperfection of those of Rauwolf and Alpinus. Rumphius, just now quoted, 

 has ill compared the colour of the leaves of cyprus to those of the olive-tree. 



This shrub, so cherished among the Eastern nations, is cultivated in Africa, 

 Asia, and all the Indies ; that is, from near the equinoctial even to 35° of north 

 latitude ; where it is much used, as we shall find by the great commerce with it 

 in the Levant, according to the relations of travellers of credit. 



This plant does not love shade, even under the torrid zone, because of the 

 violent rains there at the time of the western monsoon, no more than it does in 

 cold countries, our author means those of the 5th climate ; but towards the tropic, 

 and even in Arabia, it grows best when a little sheltered from the sun. In hot 

 and dry countries, as in the Persian gulf, where he first saw it, it produced a 

 great number of boughs and branches very short, which gave it the appearance 

 of white thorn. On the contrary, towards the equator, its branches are farther 

 from each other, and longer, occasioned by the moisture from the rain. The 

 back splits into scales, and detaches itself in pieces from the trunk, in those 

 countries where it rains seldom ; but in Malabar, in the isles of Ceylon and 

 Sunda, the back continues entire and united almost all the year, because of the 

 moisture of those places. 



Rauwolf remarks, that the Turks and Moors cultivate this plant with care, and 

 even keep it in pots, on account of the smell of the flowers, which somewhat 

 resemble musk. They keep these pots* in winter in chambers or caves, to pre- 

 serve the plants from cold. 



The Uses of Cyprus. — Bellonius, who was the first of the modems who treated 

 of this shrub under the name of alcanna, and spoke of its culture in Egypt, tells 

 us, that the powder of its leaves is so great an article of commerce among the 

 Turks, that they load several vessels from Alexandria for Constantinople, where 

 the sale of it is so great, that the Grand Seignior's revenue from it amounts yearly 

 to 18,000 ducats. According to him, the great consumption of this powder 

 arises from its being vised in beautifying the skin and nails, in making them red 

 by a decoction made with it. The women, he says, generally use it all over 

 Turkey, to dye the skin of those parts which are from the navel dowaiwards, as 

 well as their hands and their hair. Their children are served in the same man- 

 ner. They consider this as a great ornament; and that the colour may hold 

 longer, and penetrate deeper, they apply it usually when they go out of the 

 baths. This practice of dyeing, to beautify the body, is extended even to their 

 horses, of which they tinge the mane, the tail, and the hoofs. They often add 

 alum to heighten the colour. This powder is sent from Constantinople to Russia. 

 Let us now consider the other properties of cyprus. 



