156 
DR. JOHN STEN HOUSE ON VEGETABLE PRODUCTS FROM INDIA. 
nitric acid, it is rapidly decomposed, nitropicric acid, but apparently no oxalic acid, 
being produced. 
Unfortunately, from the very small quantity of resin at my disposal, I was unable 
to prepare a suflScient amount of the gardenine, either to subject it to analysis, or to 
examine it more particularly. Dr. Royle has, however, already commissioned a large 
quantity of the resin from India, which I trust will ere long enable me to complete 
its examination. 
Gardenine appears to belong to the tolerably numerous class of indifferent crystal- 
lizable resins, of which it is certainly one of the most beautiful. 
St. Bartholomew's Hospital, 
November \Ath, 1855. 
Notes on Datisca cannahina, Ajowan and Decamalee Gum, received from Dr. Royle, 
March 12, 1856. 
Ihl-heer, the stems and roots of Datisca cannahina. 
“ Datisca is found both in the Old and New World, existing in the latter in Penn- 
sylvania. D. cannahina, so named from its great resemblance to the Hemp-plant, 
extends from the south of Europe and Asia Minor through Iberia to the valleys of 
the Himalaya. I have obtained it from Cashmere and Kunawm, and found it at the 
foot of the Choor and Kedarkanta mountains. It spreads also to Nepal ; D. nepa- 
lensis, Don, being the same species.” — Royle, Himal. Bot. p. 340. 
The Ihl-heer is much esteemed in the Punjab for dyeing silk of a yellow colour. 
It is probable that some of the silk scarves of a lemon-yellow colour, which were 
much admired by artists for the delicacy of their colour, had been dyed by this sub- 
stance, as it is there esteemed for dyeing silk of this colour. 
Ajwain. 
“The remaining Umbelliferee, which are known in India, are those found only in 
a cultivated state; but this from so remote a period as to have become perfectly 
naturalized, and known to the natives, as well as to have names given to them in the 
languages of different parts of the country; some also have not as yet been found in 
other parts of the world ;” — “ as Ptychotis Ajowan, known everywhere by the name 
Ajwain, slightly varied in different districts.” — “ In addition to these, Ptychotis syl- 
vestris, nob., called arub ajwain, is used as a carminative by the natives.” — Royle, 
Himalaya Bot. p. 229. 
“Dr. Roxburgh, in describing Ligusticum Ajowan, states, he cannot conceive 
that this famous Indian plant, arotnatic in smell, pungent in taste, used both by 
natives and Europeans for culinary and medicinal purposes, can be unknown to 
