CHAP. 6.—THE PALM-TREE.
In other respects, Egypt is the country that is the best suited of all for the production of unguents; and next to it, Campania,[776] from its abundance of roses.
(4.) Judæa, too, is greatly renowned for its perfumes, and even still more so for its palm-trees,[777] the nature of which I shall take this opportunity of enlarging upon. There are some found in Europe also. They are not uncommon in Italy, but are quite barren there.[778] The palms on the coast of Spain bear fruit, but it is sour.[779] The fruit of those of Africa is sweet, but quickly becomes vapid and loses its flavour; which, however is not the case with the fruit of those that grow in the East.[780] From these trees a wine is made, and bread by some nations,[781] and they afford an aliment for numerous quadrupeds. It will be with very fair reason then, that we shall confine our description to the palm-tree of foreign countries. There are none in Italy that grow spontaneously,[782] nor, in fact, in any other part of the world, with the exception of the warm countries: indeed, it is only in the very hottest climates that this tree will bear fruit.