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though bleak, is abundantly supplied with grasses and 
leguminous plants, in the seasons when alone the country 
was visited by nomad tribes. The Silphium also is found 
in these regions ; this may be either the Assafcetida plant, 
or the Prangos of Mr. Moorcroft, both belonging to the 
natural family of Umbelliferce, and both fed on by 
cattle even in the present day. The country continues 
to be celebrated for its large dogs, which were formerly 
esteemed in Persia. Ctesias also mentions, that these 
Indians possess an insect, which affords a red colour found 
with electrum (resin ?) on trees. From this it would 
appear, that the lac insect and resin were known, even in 
those early times. But there seems to be some confusion 
as to the country whence they were procured ; for we cannot 
suppose that the same insect is found in the hottest parts of 
India, and the cold arid table land of Tartary. This 
mistake has perhaps arisen from their being, as we learn 
from Lieut. Burnes's Travels, a species of cochineal, found 
(like the scarlet-grain of Poland) on the roots of a plant, 
which flourishes in the marshes of Herat. 
Persia, taken in the most extended sense, is celebrated 
both for salt deserts and fertile vales, hot plains and cool 
mountains. Hence it is possessed of a variety of grains, 
as well as of excellent fruits, with highly-valued gum- 
resins. The vine is well suited to the climate, as is the 
mulberry for the silk-worm, and the plains of Media for 
the Medica herba (clover), found also in Caubul. It was 
rich in metallic treasures, and still yields a great variety of 
useful products. Thus, its horses have long been celebrated ; 
its long-tailed sheep yield a wool useful for some of their 
manufactures, as, for the carpets called Turkey, from 
their place of export to Europe; the goats of Kerman also 
yield a valuable wool. Copper is abundant in many parts 
of Persia, as in Muzanderan and Kerman. There were also 
mines of iron and of silver, which are now neglected. Still 
