IS FAMILY HERBAL. 



streaked with purple on the fop, and have yel- 

 low threads in the middle. The leaves are long 

 and narrow, hollowed and sharp-pointed; the root 

 is composed of several oblong lumps. The root 

 is the part used in medicine, and it is said to 

 be good against all obstructions, particularly a- 

 gainst those of the menses. 



There is another kind of asphodel w ith yellow 

 flowers, the root of which is said to possess the 

 same virtues, but it is more rarely used than the 

 other. 



The Asafostida Plant. Asafoctida herha. 



THIS is a Persian plant, and is a very tall 

 and robust one. It grows to nine fret high, 

 and the stalks are as thick as ;* child's leg ; 

 they arc hollow and divided toward the tops into 

 several branches. The leaves ore \cry large, 

 and composed of many smaller set upon a divided 

 rib. They resemble in some degree the leaves 

 of the piony. The large ones rise immediately 

 from the root, and smaller of the same form 

 wfand at distances upon the stalks, one at each 

 joint. The flowers are singly very small, but 

 they stand in vast clusters or umbels at the tops 

 of the stalks ; and the seeds follow two after each 

 flower; they are large, broad, and striated, and 

 have the same smell with the <^u\\\, but not. so 

 strong. The root is very long and thick ; it is 

 black on the. outside and white within, and is 

 full of a thick juice of a strong smell, which, 

 when hardened, is asafoetida such as we see. 



No part of the plant is used but only this 

 gum or hardened juice of the root. Tliev 

 cut off the top of 'the root and let the juice 

 that rises iVom the wound dry. It becomes 



