411 
green colour. The leaves in all these, which seem not to be distinct species, 
emit an odour like that of the nut, when they are bruised. Some of the 
trees produce male flowers, others female; and some, when they are old, 
have both on the same tree. The male flowers come out from the side of 
the branches in loose bunches, and are of an herbaceous colour. The female 
flowers come out in the same manner in clusters. 
Mr. Swinburn observes, that the male tree of the Pistacia (P. trifolia Lin.) 
has small oblong blunt leaves, of a dusky green; the flowers thick and in 
bunches; the female blossoms are more scattered, the leaves larger, harder, 
rounder, and of a lighter colour. The male puts forth its flowers first, and 
some gardeners pluck them whilst yet shut, dry them, and afterwards sprinkle 
the pollen over the female tree: but the method usually followed in Sicily, 
when the trees are far asunder, is to wait till the female buds are open, and 
then to gather bunches of male blossoms ready to blow; these are stuck 
into a pot of moist mould, and hung upon the female tree, till they are quite 
dry and empty. This operation is called tuchiarare, and never fails to pro¬ 
duce fructification; sometimes the gardeners ingraft the male bud upon the 
female tree. The male tree is called in the Sicilian language Scornabecco , 
and the fruit Fastugo * Our old writers call it Fisticke nut. 
Though one variety of the Pistacia tree has the appellative of narbonensis , 
and P. trifolia is said to be a native of Sicily, yet there is no doubt of 
its having originally been brought into Europe, with most of our valu¬ 
able fruits, from the eastern countries. Pliny relates, that the Emperor 
Yitellius introduced it into Italy from Syria, when he was Legate in that 
province. 
Another plant of the same genus, the Gum Mastick Tree (Pi stag hi a 
Lentiscus) might be brought also to bear our winters. It is native of the 
South of Europe, and the Levant. Desfontaines informs us, that it is very 
common in Barbary both wild on the hills and cultivated in gardens; but 
that it is little if at all resinous, though the branches and bark of the trunk 
were wounded at different seasons of the year; that the wood however yields 
an aromatic smell in burning; and that the berries yield an oil fit both for 
the lamp and the table. 
In the island of Chio the officinal Mastick is obtained most abundantly, 
* Travels in the Two Sicilies, Vol. II. p. 2 55. 
