108 
more readily evaporate. The roots of the Pantu-puntu require 
more than a month’s drying in the sun and open air, and the 
genuine Calaguala some few days less, though its roots are four 
or five times slenderer than those of the former; but the roots 
of the Huacsaro, though rather thick, become perfectly dry in 
three or four days. This remarkable difference: proceeds from 
the slight humidity and viscosity of the Huacsaro, and from the 
quantity of viscous and very tenacious juice contaimed.in the roots — 
of the Calaguala and the Pantu-puntu, which, when fresh, are 
extremely tender ; while those of the Huacsaro are woody, dry. 
and hard, seareely a degree less than when they have been per- 
fevtly dried ; ‘so that their bulk sustains scarcely any perceptible 
diminution in drying, while that of the former is reduced one- 
- third. The desiccation of both kinds may be pronounced com- 
plete, when they resist cutting or breaking, appear as thard as a 
stick, and are not to be bent or penetrated by thongs metentivs 
but the ‘roots of the Calaguala are easily mai 
- When the collectors find the reots of the Cakieraaks. sufficiently | 
dry, : pack them im leather bags, and without any other 
care ‘take them ‘te the sea-ports, whence ‘they are forwarded 
oan traders to Eerope, without examining whether they are 
y dry ; which is very seldom the ‘case with those of the 
Celaguata and the Puntu-puntu, for the reasons: eaieealy ex- 
plained. 
From negligent or bad preservation proceeds the almost total 
eorrupti of tthe ‘greater part of the Calagualas which we obtain 
i n ps this may be one of the principal causes 
why its effects are not equal to those produced in Peru by the 
venuir e Calaguala -when used fresh. The deterioration of the 
its, though well dried, ‘may also in a great measure. arise. from 
ravtice of packing them im leather bags, which are 
