194 Dr. Griffith on the Vegetation of Afghanistan. 



The dried pulp of the berry is eatery but it is much too sour 

 for European taste. 



The Pistacia occurs, Lieut. Sturt tells me, on the Hindoo 

 Koosh, to a considerable extent ; scattered plants of it are not 

 uncommon throughout the mountainous parts of the country 

 generally. It is a low tree ; the seed constitutes the fruit, and 

 is as much esteemed by the Afghans as almonds are by us. 



Edible seeds, of a very pleasant flavour, slightly tinged with 

 turpentine, are yielded by the Chilghozeh, a species of Pine ; 

 the seeds are, to all outward appearance, exactly like those of 

 the Kunawur Pinus Gerardiana. They are eaten in consi- 

 derable quantities, the supplies being derived from the Sofaid 

 Koh. 



Another wild fruit is yielded by the Umlook, a species of 

 Diospyros ; it also occurs in some gardens : it is not worthy of 

 any notice. 



One of the most celebrated plants in the country for its 

 aromatic and stimulant properties is the Schnee, which may 

 perhaps be a species of Balsamodendron. It occurs in the 

 Kojuck range, and is to be met with, though not to such an 

 extent, on most others. 



Another famous plant is the Rhuwath, or Rhubarb, which, 

 as it is also cultivated and in great request, ought to have 

 been arranged with the vegetables. It is the only instance 

 which evinces the knowledge of the Afghans of the value of 

 etiolating or blanching certain plants. I have never seen it, 

 not having been in Cabul in the spring. The wild plant, which 

 I believe is the original of the cultivated one, is plentiful on 

 the Kojuck range, and also on the Huzarah mountains up to 

 an elevation of 11,500 feet. The leaves of this are used with 

 others as winter fodder : the cultivated Rhubarb might easily 

 be introduced into Simlah, Mussoorie and Darjeeling. 



Several of the wild plants of Afghanistan are extensively 

 used as fuel. Those in most common use about Cabul are 

 species of Artemisia or wormwood, by some of our officers 

 known as wild thyme ; they are aromatic, camphorated, low 

 shrubs, and some are eaten by camels. In the loftier districts 

 great part of the vegetable fuel is furnished by the plants 

 known generally by the name of Koollah-i- Huzarah, Huza- 

 rah's Cap. They form one of the most prominent features of 

 the flora, occurring in dense, highly thorny, hemispherical 

 tufts, as unpleasant to touch as the back of a hedgehog. 

 Many species occur. To botanists they are known by the 

 name of Statice. 



Plants eaten by camels become, in such a barren country as 



