which yields the Gum Ammoniacum, 605 



give a particular description of the plant, flower, and seed ; 

 but he brought away a root, with a piece of the stem and some 

 dry leaves attached, and which I have forwarded in a box to 

 your address. You will observe the account of the plant is 

 dated in July 1822, though 1 only received it a short time 

 ago. 



" ^Description of the Oshac, or Gum Ammoniac Plant. 



" ' It having been intimated to me while at Bushire, by the 

 Resident, Captain Bruce, that the plant which produces the 

 gum Ammoniac, — called by the Persians Oshac, — would be 

 acceptable to botanists, as it was but imperfectly known, I 

 procured the accompanying piece of stem, leaf, and flower, 

 and took a drawing of one of the finest plants. Its height was 

 seven feet two inches, and the circumference of the lower part 

 of the stem four inches. It grows principally on the plains 

 between Yerdekaust and Kumisha, in the province of Irauk, 

 without cultivation. The gum is so abundant, that upon the 

 slightest puncture being made, it instantly oozes forth, even at 

 the ends of the leaves. When the plant has attained perfection, 

 innumerable beetles, armed with an anterior and posterior probe 

 of half an inch in length, pierce it in all directions ; it soon 

 becomes dry, and is then picked off, and sent vid Bushire to 

 India and various parts of the world, and is an article of con- 

 siderable export. I am of opinion it might be cultivated with 

 success in many parts of Kattywar, and the experiment might 

 be worth the consideration of Government. The gum might 

 easily be procured by artificial means, which would answer the 

 purpose equally well. 



" ' From the part of the stem attached to the roots of the spe- 

 cimen I sent you, a considerable portion of the gum will be 

 seen exuded, in which respect it resembles the Assafoetida 



plant. 



