Foreign Vegetables. 323 
Root fince it lofes fo much with Age, that, ac- 
cording to Kampfer , one Drachm of the frefh Juice 
has a ftronger Smell, than an hundred Pounds when 
old and dry, as it is here fold by the Druggifts. 
The Bufinefs of colleding AQa Fcetida is every 
Year performed with great Order. About the Mid- 
dle of Aprils at which Time the Leaves of the Plant 
grow pale, and begin to wither, feveral Families, 
or the Inhabitants of fome neighbouring Hamlets 
flock together to the Mountains *, where they form 
themfelves into a Society, agreeing to Share in com- 
mon the Profits of their Labour. They divide into 
fmall Companies, to each of which a Certain Trad: 
of the Mountain is allotted, fo that the Manage- 
ment of about two thoufand Plants is ufually under- 
taken by a Company confifting of four or five Men. 
They immediately fall to their Work with Alacrity 
and Emulation. In the firfb Place, they dig up the 
compad Earth, which encompafies the Root, with 
a Spade, and lay it bear to the Depth of a Span. 
Then with their Hands they twill off the Foot- 
Stalks of the Leaves, and the Fibres from the Top 
of the Root, wherewith it is generally covered. 
Afterwards they fpread the Earth again lightly round 
the Root to the Top, and lay over it fmall Bundles, 
made of the Leaves which have been pulled off, or 
of whatever Herbs they can meet with. Upon 
thefe they put a Stone to hinder them from being 
carried away by the Wind, which is here oftentimes 
very boifterous. This Precaution is necelfary to 
defend the naked Root from the Sun-Beams ; be- 
caufe being once llruck by them, it rots in the 
Space of a Day. In thus preparing the Roots they 
commonly fpend about three Days, and then return 
Home. 
Thirty or forty Days after they repair again to 
the Mountains, every one to his refpedive Place-, 
provided 
