1844.] Agricultural and Land produce of Shoa. 29«j 



such a plentiful supply of fruits, they neither spare nor keep aught for 

 the following year, probably because they are confident in the fertility 

 of their soil, or because, as yet they have no sheds for its protection. 



Nor are they in the habit of bringing in their hay, although this 

 is highly necessary on many occasions on account of the locusts, for 

 that pest eating up fodder and seed, destroys men and beasts with, 

 hunger. Herbs of every kind grow there ; not only the sweet smelling 

 and medicinal ones of Europe, but others besides of remarkable pro. 

 perties peculiar to the country. Amadangda, as Tully says, heals broken 

 or dislocated bones, the contrary of the ossifraga of Norway, which 

 breaks the bones of the cattle treading upon it. But all curiosities in 

 the shape of plants are naught when compared to the assaffzoe, which 

 is so efficacious against snake poison, that the most noxious serpents 

 touched with this herb are set at rest, and lay as though they were 

 dead, and even more than this, the shade of the plants stupifies vipers, 

 so that you are able to lift them without harm from the ground; 

 and whoever has eaten of the root of this herb, can walk without fear 

 among hydras, and will for many years be secured from their bites. 

 The Abyssinians are well acquainted with the saffron ; grains of it 

 were shewn to us by Gregorius as a curiosity. He said, the expressed 

 oil was useful in hypochondria and obstructions of the milk. They have 

 no hops, but brew beer without this addition. The vines and grapes 

 are excellent, although they make no wine, partly because the grapes 

 ripen in summer when fermentation is hastened by the intense heat, 

 and the must is destroyed. They have plenty of sugar, but no pepper, 

 ginger or other aromatic herbs. Plantains grow there, and I strongly 

 suppose this tree to be the madragora of Reuben. Another tree is 

 mentioned by N. Godynius, which is very useful against intestinal 

 worms, for these abound from the habit of eating raw meat; but 

 the Abyssinians purge the belly with the fruit of this tree every month, 

 and in that way destroy the worms. 



Appendix No. 3. 

 List of plants used as medicines in Abyssinia: — 

 Names of Plants. Diseases. 



Ashkak Goomun, . . . . Epilepsy. 



Weynagooft, . . . . . . Ringworm. 



Kurrut, Procuring abortion. 



2 u 



