183 
Roots of this plant were sent to Saharunpore, whence we 
received flowering specimens for the Herbarium at Kew. 
account of the plant had previously been 
received from Dr. Aitchison 
DR. J. E. T. ArTCHISON TO ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 
Gulran, Sth March, 1883. 
DEAR SIR JOSEPH HOOKE 
SINCE I wrote last to you ee a couple of days ago, I have come 
across a find—an Asclepiad, a fibre plant that ET in marshy 
land, amongst loam with sweet water, about five feet high, annual 
shoo ts from a woody rootstock, and great creeping thick roots. 
I first ofall noticed the shrub-like plant in good seed, and the 
seed flying about out of a pair of x. pong pods ae belong to 
the Ápocynacez, the seeds with s ilky plumes. On examining the 
stems, bundles of several years’ AS. together, the bases were 
covered with a mass of what looked like tow (naturally exfoliated 
from the standing stems by rubbing against each other during a 
wind), very silky, and a good fibre. "This natural tow, with the 
fruit and seeds, 1 have sent you by sample post. "The natives of 
the surrounding paris, especially the Turkomans, say that ordinary 
twine and rope is made from the fibre, but that a tribe of Turko- 
mans, called Kayak, east of Bokhara, who live at a place called 
K eT d Mr from this fibre. The natives here call 
that cloth Katán. The plant is called Dümb-e-robá (tail of fox), 
or Dümb-e-Gósallá Tan of calf), this name, no doubt, due to the 
fluffy seed. 
The bark of the rootstock is p Ur for tanning, or rather 
preparing, prie to hold water, and it is known as ** Gao-gosh ” 
(cow's ear). 'lhese skins become red in p i deiat and water- 
oof. 
A A Russian traveller, No Mri E mentions a cloth being made 
at Lobnor, in his travels, from an Asclepiad. 
As I think it is dies to turn cát a good thing, I have sent to 
Saharunpore a large number of the roots, which were -— showing 
eyes like potatos, and hope they may succee eed. I have no doubt, 
if you have Prejevalsky’s species, that you will be able to recognize 
my plant from the fruit. This is s nearly 5 ins. long, and not 
thicker than lin. With the seeds, you will be able to raise some 
plants. The roots during winter are covered with water, and in 
summer I should say are almost dry. It is in immense quantities 
in this vicinity, only in marshy ground. The natives call the 
cloth Katan, but this is the Persian name for linen and hem 
fabrics eh a hiaiely. We would require to get the true Turki 
name 
For rsyth, in his Yarkand report, mentions a cloth called “ Fesk ^ 
I feel sure this is the same. Native information said it w 
duced from a plant that had a fruit like the princess 
The annual shoots, growing in March and coming to perfection 
during the summer, would pr one to suppose it might do well 
in India. The fibre I have t you is merely what I collected 
on the stalks, but, of course, “if collected at the proper season, it 
would be of much better quality—as it is, ied is ve hg good. 
(Signed) J. Th EX AITCHISON. 
