154 Aitchison. — On the Source of Bads ha, 
This occurred some days before microscopic preparations were 
made of the tissues, and hence I believe the absence from the 
utricular vessels of the densely-loaded condition present in the 
vessels of the Badsha-Salep. That the sections of the fresh 
bulb had lost most of their contents might be seen by their 
shrivelled-up and contracted condition, after having lain a few 
days in the spirit. Dr. Macfarlane, who kindly prepared the 
microscopic sections at Edinburgh, thinks with me that in all 
probability the granular matter that so fills these utricular 
vessels yields the mucilage, on account of which the bulb is 
employed as a Salep. 
In conclusion, the results of my investigations as to the 
source of Badsha or Royal Salep may be summed up in a few 
words. That we know a species of Allium , the bulb of which 
is considered by the natives of the country where it grows, 
to be a Salep ; that the fresh bulbs of this, in general appear- 
ance and in microscopic structure, correspond to certain 
specimens of a drug known to us as Badsha-Salep. That all 
these specimens of the dried Badsha-Salep, though varying 
in size and odour, appear equally to be the products of an 
Allium , and that the differences which exist in the bulbs 
may be fully accounted for by difference in species. 
As far as we know at present, the trade in Badsha-Salep 
seems to lie between Southern Afghanistan and India ; in sup- 
port of this I could hear nothing of the product, nor was it 
known near Herat or Meshed, the great centres of trade of 
North-West Afghanistan and North-East Persia ; and that 
it is conveyed by Afghans along the various routes to India, 
chiefly to Bombay and Karrachi, as well as to Lahore and 
Simla, at both of which places I have myself obtained it. 
The little knowledge we have of the distribution of Allium 
Macleanii is, that it was sent from Cabul, and Dr. Wilson 
Johnston’s Allium ‘said to produce Salep’ was collected in 
Afghanistan on the route between the Kojak Pass, Kandahar, 
and Cabul. In all likelihood the latter was collected in the 
same locality as the former, as both officers were with the 
same expedition. 
