252 VEGETABLE PRODUCTS FROM ERZEROOM. 
Indians Dulfpiru, and by the Tucánas Tuat/). The drum is a portion 
of the trunk of a Lauraceous tree-called Myrdtand = Páo amarello, 
sometimes ten or twelve feet long by two feet in diameter, partially 
hollowed by fire, which has been introduced by four circular orifices 
along the upper side, the ends being preserved entire. The deep hol- 
low sound is heard for miles, and serves as a signal for the gathering 
of the tribes to some feast, or to resist the incursion of some enemy. 
The use of the Turucána seems anciently to have been general through- 
out these rivers, but it is now confined to the Rio Uaupés. 
172. Two baskets and four sieves made by Uaupé Indians of the 
rind of the stem of Uarumá (various species of the Maranta). These 
articles enter largely into the commerce of the Rio Uaupés. 
(To be continued.) 
—MMM——— 
Notes by Henny H. CALVERT, ESQ., on Vegetable Products sent by kim 
Jrom Erzeroom, ete. 
- l. Tehirish is the root of an Asphodelus. In Jaubert's * Voyages en 
Orient d’Aucher-Eloy,’ p. 200, he mentions the Zchirish plant to be 
Asph. ramosus, but you will see by the specimen marked No. 1365, 
sent to Dr. Lindley, that Jaubert is in error. The roots of this plant 
are dug up in May, and after separating the young tubers of the year 
from the older ones (the former being finer in quality than the latter); 
the roots are bruised, dried, and then ground to powder, and in this 
state are exported from Koordistan to various parts of Turkey. Its 
adhesive qualities render it useful to saddlers, shoemakers, bookbinders, 
etc., and for “ filling” for the coarse native cotton cloth, ete., wheaten 
. flour paste never being employed in this country as a gluten. To make 
 tehirish paste the powder has merely to be added gradually to cold 
. water and then stirred. (Pouring water on the powder is not so effectual, 
_ as the tehirish clogs into lumps.) In May and June the young shoots 
_ are sold in town as a vegetable. When cooked, green tchirish has a 
taste intermediate between spinach and purslane, with the glutinous 
. property of okra (ABelmoschus esculentus) ; in fact, it is by no means 4 
disagreeable vegetable. I had hoped to have sent you seeds; but, in 
the disturbed state of the country, I could not induce any one to go for 
