The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-09-19
FRAN KINCENSE AND MYRRH.
Two Raro and Curious Gums Obtained
from Eastern Trees.

A"O haFo ana curious Gums Obtained
from Eastern Trees.
"One frequently hears of franklin
cense and myrrh," said botanist to a
Star reporter, but few people know
what they are. Both are gum resins
obtained from trees. That from which
frankincense is derived grows chiefly in
Arabia, though it is also found in GER
tain parts Of India and elsewhere. On
the coast Of Adel it is said to be found
sprouting from between marble rock,
without SOIL appearing to spring from
mass of substance resembling mix
ture of lime and mortar. The purer the
marble the finer the growth of the
plant. Young trees furnish the gum to
obtain which a deep incision is made in
the trunk, u milll-lilSe juice exuding.
When it has had time to harden, the
large, clear globules are scraped off into
baskets, and the inferior quality that
has run down the bark is collected sep
arately. Anciently it was reported that
the land which produced franlsincense
was one of fog and darkness, where
slaves as punishment, were compelled
to collect the gum from the trees in
tested by winged serpents of various
brilliant colors, which could only be
driven away by smoke. These beliefs
were probably circulated by Arab spice
producers of fertile imagination who
were desirous to avoid competition.
'Fifteen centuries before Christ an
Egyptian queen named Hatasa made an
expedition to the Arabian coast of the
Red Sea and h,.n,,phf
thlrty-one incense trees. The gum was
much employed of old in sacrifices, its
use arising primitively from the belief
that pleasant smells were agreeable to
gods in general, Trade in such produce
must have been very extensive in those
times. One thousand talents weight of
frankincense was brought every year to
Darius by the Arabs as tribute. AS
much as this was burned annually in
Babylon on the great altar to Bel. Thus
1T is seen to have been in days of an
tiquity one of the most valuable prod
ucts of the East. 1t was used by the
Egyptians in their religious rites and
was in high repute for medicinal pur-
poses. Sometimes blazing Jumps of it
were employed for illumination. In
China it has always been considered
remedy for leprosy.
'Myrrh is the gum of tree that
grows in southwestern Asia. Until
within the present century its botanical
source was in some degree mystery.
The plant in question is scrubby, not
exceeding twelve feet in height 1t is
from what is called the Somali country
that the product is chiefly obtained,
being sent to great annual fair at
Berbera, where it is bought up by
agents of East India merchants. Bonn
bay and Alden are the chief centers of
the trade. At these places it is sorted,
the best quality being sent to Europe
and the poorer kind to China. Once a
year the queen of Great Britain, on the
occasion of the Feast of the Epiphany,
makes an offering OF gold, frankincense
and myrrh at the chapel royal, London.
This custom has been pursued since the
time of Edward !. Taken incidentally,
myrrh is believed to act favorably upon
the appetite and digestion 1t also has
a special effect upon the mucous mem
brane, SO that people use it to harden
gums which are readily made to bleed
by the toothbrush. Washington STAR