Dr. FALCONER on the Asafoetida Plant of Central Asia. 291 
anastomosing ; commissural vittae about 10, more apart than those of the dor- 
sum, the whole fruit turgid with milky juice, having a foetid alliaceous odour 
resembling Asafoetida.” The species of Ferula yielding this fruit may furnish 
some one of the obscurely-known gum-resins resembling Asafcetida produced 
in Persia: the observed odour in this instance is not conclusive, as the “ Doo- 
qoo" seed is imported from Affghanistan in the same packages with Asafcetida, 
the rank foetor of which (hence quoted, among other synonyms, by Kzmpfer 
as a translation from the German, under the name of * Stercus Diaboli,") kills 
every less potent odour, and adheres with great tenacity to all light and 
spongy medicinal substances. | 
I have examined another kind of umbelliferous fruit in the collection of 
Dr. Royle, labelled as “the seed of the wild Asafcetida plant, collected and 
brought to England by Sir J. Macneill from Persia,” which differs widely 
from the fruit both of Narther and of Ferula, and belongs to another tribe of 
the order. 
Having had no opportunity of observing the manner in which Asafoetida is 
procured from the roots of Narthex, I have nothing to remark upon the excel- 
lent and very copious account of the process given by Kaempfer, which bears 
the strongest character of careful observation and fidelity of record. The 
small sample which I got at Saharunpoor was exuded from the top of the 
root without an incision. 
VOL. X Ai 9 Q 
