Plants of the Holy Land

HIS work was suggested to the author during the preparation of his larger work, entitled "PALES

TINE, PAST AND PRESENT," and although flowers of Syria are noticed and illustrated therein, they are not specially associated with scriptural allusions, nor so particularly treated upon. The object of the present volume is to identify scriptural plants with the existing plants of Syria, or with those mentioned and described in the writings of early Greek and Latin physicians, botanists, and naturalists, together with such historical and botanical notices as may be of special interest. A list has been added of some of the plants and flowers frequently found at the present time in the Holy Land.

While the author has presented in many places the results of his own historical investigations and of his personal examinations of native plants in the country itself, he has freely availed himself of all the information to be obtained from many reliable sources. Several of the illustrations are directly from natural specimens, and all are from high authorities. The author would express his obligations to CAPT. W. F. LYNCH, U.S.N., for several suggestions, and for the repeated loans of unpublished drawings and paintings,

and of a natural specimen of the "Sodom's Apple,"-the finest that he has ever seen. Also to Lieut. Lloyd, R.N., and lady, of Malta, for their kindness in aiding him to preserve many varieties.

The work is intended to comprise notices of every PLANT mentioned in the Scriptures, with its fruit and flowers. In this respect we believe the work is complete,-not one having been omitted. The addition of an equally extended and illustrated series of articles on the TREES of the Holy Land would have made this work too expensive. That must be reserved for another time.

While considerable reading has been required, and many authorities have been consulted, few have been cited in the text, the results alone, in a work of this nature, having been considered more acceptable when not encumbered with references. The following are a few of the authorities consulted and sometimes referred to:

THEOPHRASTUS, a Greek philosopher and botanist, born B.c. 371, con

sidered the father of botany.

DIOSCORIDES, a Greek physician and botanist, lived about the time of Nero, A.D. 60.

PLINY the Naturalist, lived about the same time.

BOCHART'S Hierozoicon, with ROSENMÜLLER'S notes.

HASSELQUIST, a Swedish botanist and traveller in the Holy Land.

CLUSIUS'S Hieroboticon, (Sacred Botany.)

Physica Sacra, Scheuchzer, 8 vols. folio.

Scripture Herbal, Lady Maria Callcott, London, 1842,-a valuable little.

work, from which the author has obtained many suggestions.

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 28, 1859.

H. S. O.