Mercury, of which the a was the inv entor. This wand 
possesse 
ferences, reconciling vines ath. af en a farther account of it, 
sce the note on Golden Rod, article Caduce 
FIR, BALM OF GILEAD. 
PINUS BALSAMEA. 
Class 21.—monamcra. Order.—MONADELPHIA. 
at. Ord. Linn, Nat. Ord. Juss 
CONIFER. CONI 
For Pinus, see Pine. : 
Pinus balsamea, is a native of Canada, Nova Scotia, New 
England, and = wronged mountains, re high and cold situa- 
ion a itary, flat, imperfectly two-ranked. 
eet, van short poi 
‘a balsam, wicks some 
quacks celebrat te as Balm q 
z, ° 7 
rate flowers, either on ou same, or on different hans ; they 
produce resins, and m of t supply th 
most durable ducbenyea as t ree cypress and ceda 
Venice-Turpentine is obtained from the larch: Sandarach 
rom wot on ose and Incense a5 a 
tian pris on the second visit eat. he. sons, 
to) st of c t 
ty down the 
honey, spices, ahd myrrh, n 1.) 
bee learned have expressed, a a doubt of the tree from which 
2 5b 
a Oe ee Perea + 
cob 
from its native ory to the time of races ag according 
to Josephus, the Quieai of Sheba,* on her visit 
i : gulf, 
* They say ema Be gl we gemaem ood root of sr bal- 
try s 
nt hath th grown 
and prospered in — we believe without prabony for the 
same is attested b, y Theophrastus, Pliny, Justin NUS, and man many 
of Syria, and the story of Cleopatra, on she obtained 
some plant 's of Balsam from Herod the Great, to transplan 
go find elsewhere, the Balsam yy fs mare NCE - 
ielded by a ies vi oy g to Bruce, “ when 
fr i che tes, iti rp yellow: tos whic h becomes 
transparent, and ofa Faber pe by age.”’ ty 
ed by a single tree, is very small, seldo drach 
per day— which, with he spirit of oriental exclusiveness, pre- 
being made an poate of general co REC makes 
it to rate at a high price. substance sold in the shops of 
other countries, at a ste cake; cannot be depended on as 
the true opobaisam, but is mixed and compounded with other 
ingredients. 
* Queen Sheba—see note on Frankincense. 
7 
The Turks, and other eastern natio: ons, esteem it highly asa 
onic medicine. Lady Mary Montague found it ay hy acrid as 
a cosmetic, when rashly applied without dilutin; 
Sume. nd 
‘cluded from the air, it will retain its aroma for years. 
“And Fir, from which the wand of Time is framed.” 
FOX-GLOVE. 
DIGITALIS. 
Class 14,—pIDYNAMIA. Order.— ANGIOSPERMIA. 
Vat. Ord. Linn, Nat. Ord. Juss. 
LURID. SCROPHULARLE, 
crate from Digitale, the nee of a glove. The name 
rf Pt + Tr, } 2. , and 3 oh 7 fy W 3 Tic.Z: ye 
Fuchsii. 
e D. purpurea, or purple British Fox-glove, is the species 
st known. It grows in various parts of Europe. The is 
rg c ny. sn a long sim- 
le spike, large, crimson, sometimes white, elegantly sprink- 
led with eye-like pet within. It is a | dangerous plant, from 
oY 
hands, 
The Foa-glore on fair Flora’s hand is worn, 
Lest while she gathers flowers she meet a thorn. Cowley. 
FRANKINCENSE. 
This of all the odoriferous aromatics, was held in most es- 
teem by ca ancients. It was burned in the temples of relizion, 
on the most sacred occasions, to propitiate the Deity whom they 
hi 
top: 
use of aromatics, may be dated from the remotest anti- 
tv. 
that could be offered to a Deity or toa mortal. How many 
i that 
I will sep venture the notice ee one— 
“Then the king fell upon his face, and w 
Rg that they s pee I offer an oblation and sweet 
and co’ 
odors | unto $ 
atid « < ts. and 
wy persons of their — with au sweet smeling odors, a8 a 
mark f their respectful attentio 
or ae Frankince re mystery y cee 
The Arabi whom procu 
most esteemed sort, the Incense of Mocha, give us no clue 
except, that it is a tree of Mi 
not from Mi as its name td 
m Mocha, 
According to one authority, the Juniperus I ycia, 
the south of France and the Levant, produces the resinous gum 
olibanum, inated pear ebay Mn pat esteemed, but 
very i to the Another 
authority derives the tl me 4 ae thurifera, 
mewhbat resembling the sumach, and pee to the 
was procured the 
readily be conjectured to -povdemeaty hg 
Laurus, in which ny pAor, 
cassia, ete. 
In Viel, there is frequent notice of the frankincense, and of 
was indigenous. 
e countries in which it was 
worshipped Daniel,. 
| 
