j02 A Treatise on 
Pith, putting forth large winged Leaves, in Shape 
like Piony, but in Subftance and other Refpedts 
liker Lovage. The Flowers confift of five pale 
Leaves, and the Seed is foliaceous, refembling that 
of the Parfnep, or Brank-Urfine. This Plant grows 
in Perfia , and from thence is brought all the AJJa 
Fcetida which comes into Europe. It is collected 
upon the Mountains about Heraat in the Province 
of Chorafan , and about Difguun in the Province of 
Laar . The Plant receives fo great an Alteration 
from the Nature of the Soil wherein it is nourilhed, 
that at a fmall Diftance from the Places above-men- 
tioned its Juice is not worth the gathering, being 
either exceeding fmall in Quantity, or quite void of 
its foetid Smell. The Plant is even reported to be 
fo fweet not far from Difguun , that the Goats gree- 
dily browfe upon its Leaves, and become furpriz- 
ingly fat. 
Some diftinguifh two Species of the Plant, naming 
that which affords but little Juice Hus-jeh ; but 
Kcempfer afferts that their Difference is entirely ow- 
ing to the Soil in which they grow. 
The AJJa Fcetida is now obtained only from the 
Root : Wherefore the Diftindtion which the Anci- 
ents made of it, with Refpedt to the Part of the 
Plant from which it was drawn, is no longer in Ufe. 
The Root till it is four Years old yields very little 
Juice, and is never cut ; but the older and larger it 
is, the greater Quantity is got from it. When the 
Juice firft flows from its Veffels it is extremely 
white, liquid, and fat, but not glutinous, being 
exadtly like Cream ; but by the Adtion of the Air 
and Sun, it becomes brownifh, and vifcous. The 
foetid Smell is the Mark of its Virtue *, for the 
ftronger that is, the better is the AJfa Fcetida. On 
this Account, what we have in Europe is not to be 
compared to the Juice when firft taken from the 
i Root j 
