— 
, ty 
balfam was to be found: But, fince the Turks have, 
poffeffed the Holy Land, thefe fhrubs have beentranf- 
planted into the gardens of (srand Cairo; where they © 
are guarded, during the flowing of the bal‘am, by i 
j 
4 
aah NATURAL HISTORY. : | 
uf 
a 
the Janiffaries. At this time it is very difficult for — 
the chriftians to obtain a fight of thefe balfams. With — 
refpect to the balfam itfelf. it is almoft impoffible to © 
obtain any, unlefs from an ambaflador, who may have _ 
fome fent him, as a’prefent, from the grand fzignior, % 
or from the feldiers appointed to guard this valuable — 
liquid. This circum{tance plainly evinces, that the 
balfam fold here; can only be the white balfam of Pe-— 
ru; which is prepared with fpirit of wine rectified, - 
or with fome diftilléd oils. Mr. Pomet fays he re- 
ceived from a friend, the prefent of an ounce, which ~ 
he brought from Grand Cairo: He defcribes it to ” 
have been of a folid confiftence, like the turpentine ~ 
of Chio, of a golden colour, and a citron fmell. 




— HOHNER HOH — 
a 
CEDAR OF LIBANUS. 
Tats tree is very large, thick and ftraight : The 
Jeaves are flender, and much narrower than thofé- ~ 
of the pine tree; they are difpofed in clufters a- — 
jong the branches; upon the upper part of them 
grows erect the fruit, like our pine apples ; but they 
never drop ina whole ftate.’ It is faid there iffues © 
from the trunk, In warm months, a fort of white refin, — 
which is very clcar, of a grateful odour, and is called © 
cedar guin : The large trees are {aid to affordgno lefs 
than fix ounces per day of this fubftance.: “THE cones 
of the cedar, if preferved in time, will contain their — 
feed for feveral years. They ripen moft commonly — 
in the fpring, and are nearly twelve months old be- — 
fore they. arrive tous from the Levant. To mamas e 
4 
