3^2 JOURNAL R. A. S. (CEYLON). [Vol. III. 



gum. The hi! aval is evidently the Protium caudatum, 

 W. and A. The Canarium of the North, and the 

 mala-lcakunas of this part of the Island, produce resins 

 which are carefully collected, and are said to form the 

 Incense used by the Roman Catholic Priests. On visiting 

 lately the famous Church of St. John, in Malta, the heavy 

 smell of its interior reminded myself and a fellow-ti;aveller 

 very forcibly of the sensation experienced on entering the 

 Buddhist and Hindoo Temples. It seems strange that the two 

 flowers most commonly used in the Buddhist Temples here, 

 viz., the large yellow ones of the Allamanda Cathartica, and 

 those of the Plumeria accuminata, should both (like the 

 sacred Bo) be foreign plants. 



The Elm in Hosea (iv. 13.), and the Toil tree of Isaiah 

 (vi. 13), should have been translated Terebinth or Turpentine 

 tree. This tree also belongs to the same natural order as our 

 Mangoe, the peculiar flavour of that fruit being referable to 

 the quantity of turpentine in it. 



Coriander, Saffron, Cummin, Wormwood, Anise, 

 Mint and Rue. 



"The manna was as coriander seed, and the color thereof 

 as the color of Bdellium." (Numb. xi. 7.) " Woe unto you 

 scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye pay tithe of mint, 

 and anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier mat- j 

 ters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith." (Matt, xxiii. 23.) J 



Coriander, Cummin and Anise all belong to the same tribe 

 of plants, and are known to us all as common bazaar stuffs 

 for Curries. Most of them grow in Ceylon too. They are 

 known in the bazaars as cisamMagan, JcoUamalli, and 

 Ein-enduru. The plant referred to as Anise should have Is 

 been translated Dill', which also grows in Ceylon. 



"Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with 

 all trees of frankincense ; myrrh and aloes, with all the 

 chief spices." (Cant. iv. 4.) 



The saffron here referred to, is made from the dried 



