THE SHRAM TALLET, ETC., AFGHANISTAN'. 25 



not wild, nor have 1 seen the hazel as a shrub. la the Hariab 

 district large quantities of gum exude from the stems of the plum 

 and apricot, which is collected and eaten. 



15. Fodder for Animals. 



In addition to the straw of the cereals and pulse3, clover 

 (Trifolium resupinatum) is cultivated, and the wild oats and 

 weeds from the field are collected and given to animals. G-rass 

 is generally so scarce that the natives supplement it with the 

 young shoots and stems of Periploca aphylla to the east of 

 Kuram, and to the west with the foliage of Quercus Ilex, 

 especially the variety that is devoid of spines — the two latter 

 affording fodder for camels chiefly ; and in the Hariab district the 

 young branches of the willows are largely resorted to for fodder 

 for both cattle and sheep. The ashes obtained by burning 

 branches of Ephedra are mixed with tobacco for the purpose of 

 chewing, or with snuff to intensify its action, and the dried and 

 powdered leaves of Rhododendron Collettianum as snuff. 



16, Medicines and other Vegetable Products. 



The following plants are employed as medicines for internal 

 use : — The berries of Mibes orientale, the fruic of JRhamnus 

 dahuricus, the roots of Daphne oleoides when boiled, and the 

 dried root of Euphorbia, sp. (no. 380), are all employed as pur- 

 gatives, being more or less common household remedies. The 

 last goes by the name of the vomit-weed, and is also used for that 

 purpose. The fresh milk from its leaves blister the hand when 

 collecting it. 



As local applications the castor-oil is cultivated in the gardens 

 at Kuram for the sake of its leaves, which are employed in poul- 

 ticing. The roots of two species of Arnebia, viz. A. endochroma 

 and A. speciosa, are used to relieve toothache and earache. The 

 gum-resin which exudes from the flowering stems of Ferula Jaeschk- 

 iana is applied to w T ounds and bruises. At Alikhel a native 

 brought me the stems of a plant which he said was a rare and 

 valuable medicine, calling it "Mam-i-ran"; on examination it 

 proved to belong to some species of Geranium, probably O. Wal- 

 lichianum. The root-stocks of Valeriana Wallichii are collected 

 and sent to Gandamak for export to India, to be used as a per- 

 fume. The juice of the leaves of Delphinium Brunonianum is 

 employed to destroy ticks in animals, but chiefly when they affect 

 sheep. 



