109 
“Yamp” or “ Yampah” of the west, extending from the Rocky 
Mountains to California and Britis‘: Columbia, being particularly 
abundant on the Little Snake, or Yampah,river. The fusiform ‘or 
conical roots are in close clusters of 2-5, about an inch long anda 
half-inch thick, consisting, within the blackish skin, of a pure white, 
farinaceous substance. They have a delicious sweet nutty 
aromatic flavor, without any bitterness or astringency. Raw or 
cooked, they have always been highly valued by Indians, specially 
the Shoshones and tribes of the Snake river and tributaries, as well 
as by all explorers and settlers. Bears and pigs are very fond of 
them, often tearing up large tracts of ground in their search. 
Chemically, they are remarkable for the large proportion of sugar - 
and albuminoid matter they contain. There is little doubt that 
if susceptible of enlargement by culture, the Yamp would soon 
become a favorite in the vegetable garden. : 
Two other species, C. Kelloggit Gray, the “ Wild Anise” of 
Central California, and C. Oregonum Wats., have similar roots. 
# Probably still more important to the Indians, among the Um- 
bellifers, on account of its wide distribution and abundance, is the 
genus Peucedanum of which we have some 46 rather closely re- 
lated species. Ten, ranging from the Rocky Mountains to the 
northern Pacific Coast, have tuberous edible roots more or less 
used by the natives. The tubers are seldom. over an inch in 
diameter and almost entirely made up of an homogeneous white 
starchy substance, palatable when raw, with a faint celery-like 
flavor, but generally roasted or baked and pounded into flour 
from which nutritious and wholesome bread or cake is made. ~~ 
The best tuber is probably that of P. Candyi C. & R., the “ Chuk- 
lusa” of the Spokane Indians. It contains, according to an 
analysis by Prof. H. Trimble, 17 per cent. of starch, 11 of saccha- 
rose, 3 or 4 of albuminoids and 15 or 16 of mucilage. The tuber 
of P. eurycarpum C. & R., the “ Skelaps” of the Spokane Indians, 
has also been examined by Prof. Trimble, who found 35 per cent. 
of starch, about 10 of albuminoids, only 2 of saccharose and 3 or | 
4 of mucilage, a composition surprisingly different from that oF 
the preceding. The bulb of P. farinosum Geyer, the “ Tuhwha 
of the Spokanes, is equally good ; to it, as well as to other species, 
the name « Biscuit-root” has been given by the whites. 
