Nov.5] PROCEEDINGS. [18P9.medicainto Palestineat once forbidsits identification withthe Biblical
tree.* Theclaim of the quince (Cydoniavulgaris)has been ad
vocated by Celsius 'Hierobotaniconi, p. 254-267). Thistree is a
native of the Mediterranean basin, and is when ripedeliciously
fragant,but according to our Western tastes,by no means pleasant
to the taste when uncooked, but on the contrary austere and
unpleasant. Thislatter fact is regarded generally as destructive
of its pretensions ; but for my part I hesitate to throw overthe
claimsof the quince to denote the tappuakh, on account of its taste.
" De gustibus non est disputandum." Theflavourand odour of
plants or other things is simply a matter of opinion. Orientals
set a high value on flavours and odours which to European
sensesare unpleasing ; moreover we must seek for the reason why
such and such a fruit was regarded with approbation. Let me
adducethe instance of the mandrake, Atropa mandragora. To
mostEuropeansthe smell of the whole plantis very fetid,but even
Europeansdiffer; Schulz says" they havea delightful smelland the
tasteis equally agreeable,thoughnot to everybody." Maritisays
" the fruit is of the size and colourof a small apple,ruddyand of a
most agreeable odour." Tristram writes, " the perfume of the
flower we found by no means disagreeable, though it is said by
someto be fetid " {Land of Israel,p. 102). Again,it has a peculiar,
but decidedly not unpleasant smell and a pleasant sweet taste"
(Nat.Hist.Bib.,p. 467, ed. 7th). Whenwe remember the properties
which the mandrake wasand is still supposed by the natives of
Palestineto possess, viz.,its efficacy as a love-philtre to strengthen
the affection betweenthe sexes, we see at once the reason of their
- Some writershaveconcludedthatthe citron was known to the early Jews
of Palestine fromthe testimonyof Josephus who(Anticj.xiii,13, § 5) stales that
KingAlexanderJanna-uswas pelted withcitrons(<c<rpiun)whichat the Feast of
Tabernaclesthe Jews hadin their hands,because"thelaw required that at that
feasteveryone should havebranchesof the palm-tree and citron-tree." Josephus
evidentlyhadin mind the Its hadar of Lev. xxiii,40, which he considered to
be some specialtree,ratherthanany "goodly " or ornamental tree ; but Helm
has well shownthatthe Greek Kirpiov,the Latin citruscomesoriginallyfrom
xilpoi,the scented woodof coniferiv, andin time cameto be used for the citron
on account of its supposed propertyto preserve clothes,<5tc,frommoths,like the
scentedwoodof the cedars and other conifers. As the golden Medianapplewas
laidamongclothesfor this purpose (the custom continuinginto the middle of the
secondcenturyA.D.),andas the smell of the rind was thought to be similar to
thatof cedar-resin, the common peopleimaginedit to l)e the fruit of the citrus
tree and gave it the name ciirium{Wanderings,etc.,p. 333).
43