Gutph of Persia,] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



101 



unpleasant smell, somewhat like that of fennel, and of a bitterish taste. 

 Reject that which is hard, dark coloured, or dirty. Freight 10 Cwt to a ton. 



Galbanum Gum is the produce of an evergreen plant, Butxm Gattxt- 

 num y found in Persia, and in some parts of Africa. When this plant 

 is in the third or fourth year of its growth, drops of Galbanum exude 

 at the joints; the natives, to increase the produce, wound the main stem 

 at this time, at a small distance above the root ; the juice then flows 

 plentifully, and is collected for use. Galbanum is a gummy-resinous, 

 rather unctuous substance; sometimes in the natural drops or tears, but 

 more fre(|iiently in masses composed of a number of these blended together. 

 The drops, when perfect, approach near to a roundish, or oblong figure ; 

 but they commonly lose their form in the masses: these are pale-coloured, 

 semi-transparent, soft, and tenacious. In the best specimens they appear 

 composed of clear whitish tears, often intermixed with stalks, and seeds of 

 the plant. When fresh, the masses and tears are white, and with age, 

 change to yellow or brown. 



When the tears can be procured, they arc. to be preferred : these tears 

 should be fattish, moderately viscous, and glossy on the surface ; such as are 

 too fat, of a dark brown colour, and mixed with sticks, and other foreign 

 substances, are to be rejected. The best cakes are those of a light yellow 

 colour, of a strong, piercing, and, to most persons, a disagreeable smell ; of 

 a bitterish, warm taste ; not very humid, nor yet quite dry ; being of a na- 

 ture between a gum and a resin, flaming in the fire, and with difficulty 

 dissolved in oil. The less chips, dirt, stalks, or other impurities, the better. 

 A mixture of two parts of rectified spirits of wine, and one of water, will 

 best shew its quality, by dissolving all the pure galbanum, and leaving the 

 impurities. When its foulness renders it of little value, it is best purified 

 by enclosing it in a bladder, and keeping it in boiling water till it melts, or 

 becomes soft enough to be strained by pressure through a hempen cloth. If 

 this process be skilfully managed, the Galbanum loses but little of the essen- 

 tial oil, some of which is generally carried off in evaporation. — Freight, 

 16 Cwt. to the ton. 



Galls are hard, roundish excrescences, found on a species of oak trees, 

 in various parts of the East, produced from the puncture of an insect, 

 and affording a lodgment for its young, till they are capable of eating 

 a passage through ; those galls which have no hole, are generally found 

 to have the dead insect in them. The best galls are from Aleppo, ( Afaju 

 Plial. Hind, and San.) mostly of a blueish colour, or greyish or blackish, 

 verging to blueness, unequal and warty on the surface, hard to break, and 



