The relative geographical distribution of these two plants, or even the limits within which they thrive, are matters of considerable obscurity, travellers mostly alluding to them without reference to their botanical identification. Their range seems to extend from Persia and the Caspian region through Afghanistan into Tibet. According tO Bellew, the hing plant grows wild on the sandy and gravelly plains that form the W. portion of Afghanistan. It is not under cultivation, but it is tended and watered by the Kakar Afghans wherever it is found. Indeed Wood observed that the asafcetida-growing districts around Sykan or Saigan were portioned out like corn-fields, and as care fully guarded. About the commencement of March, the leaves of the plant sprout afresh from the perennial root; and during the succeeding months of April and May, wben the product is most plentiful, the whole plain country between Kandahar and Herat is occupied by the Kakars of the • Bori Valley and the hills about the Bolan, who almost monopolize the collection and exportation of the gum-resin. The plant is said to grow in greatest abundance at Anardarra, in the Halmand (Helmond) district, though it is also scattered all over the W. portion of Afghanistan, and extends into the N. parts of Persia and Turkestan. Bellew saw the plant in great abundance beyond the Harut river, and on the plains of Birjand and Gliayn. It is also met with on the E. side of the Indus valley, in the Jhelam basin, and ou the Upper Chenab. Col. Stewart (see Proc. R. Geog. Soc., Sept. 188l, pp. 52l-2-4) speaks of asafcetida (species not stated) as being the only product of the desert country crossed by him between the spring of Chasma Shutaran and the village of Zangi Chah, both situated in Khorassan, on the S.-E. border of the Dasht-i-Kavir or Great Salt Desert. The district approximately comprises the land lying between 55° and 58° E. long., and 33° and 35° N. lat. The production here is very great. He remarks that the Persians know of no use for the drug.
The collection of the gum-resin is effected in the following manner :—About April-May, the frail, withered, and vaginated stem belonging to plants of the previous year (on roots at least 4 years old), as well as the cluster of fresh; green, sheathing leaves that may have sprouted before the withered portion has been blown away by the wind, is cut away at the junction with the top of the root. A trench about 6 in. wide and deep is cut in the earth immediatsly surrounding the root. In some instances, it would seem that the incising of the root follows at once ; in others, a period of 40 days is allowed to elapse, during which, the soil is loosely returned to the trench, and the root is further protected from the solar heat by a coating of leaves and herbage, secured by a stone. The incising operation consists in making either several deep cuts across the upper portion of the root, or in removing very thin slices from it. in both cases, the wounded surface affords a milky exuda tion, which may be so sparse as to coagulate in tears upon the wound, or so plentiful as to escape into the trench around the root, and there solidify in lumps more or less contaminated with earthy and sandy particles. The yield from the first cutting is termed shir (" milk "), being more liquid than the subsequent product ; it is much less esteemed, and is very largely (20-200 per cent.) adulterated with a soft earth, wheat-flotir, or powdered gypsum, mainly perhaps t,o give it a port able consistence. The incisions are repeated at intervals of 3-1 days, extending to a fortnight if
the flow variants it. The exudation at this time assumos a thicker condition, and is known as pispaz. The wounding of the root is repeated at longer intervals during June, July, and even later, until the root is quite exhausted, After every incision, the protection of the root from the sun is very carefully attended to, otherwise the heat causes the root to wither, and stops the exudation. The quantity of the gum-resin afforded by each root varies from 1 oz. to 2 lb., much depending upon the development of the roots, whose size ranges between l in. and 6 in. in diameter. Bellew dis tinguishes two kinds of asafoatida plant, called respectively hama-i-gawi and kama-i-anguza; the former is grazed by cattle and used as a pot-herb, while only the latter affords the gum-resin.
It would seem that hing, the produce of .Ferula alliacea, is obtained by taking thin slices from the crown of the root, together with the gum-resin which had collected upon them, until the root is exhausted. The slices are generally extremely thin, and form hut a small proportion of the whole mass. To make the commercial article, the exhausted root is collected, cut up, and mixed with the gum-resin which has been obtained as described, by means of water. The drug reaches Bombay usually in skies weighing 100 lb. or more; occasionally also in boxes. The quality varies much, chiefly in the proportion of exhausted root. Oa arrival at Bombay, it frequently undergoes further adulteration with gum arabic, to effect which, the packages are broken up, the eoutents are moistened, and the added gum arabic is trodden well into the mass by men with naked feet upon a mat ; the sophisticated drug is afterwards sewn up again in the skins to appear genuine. According to the Pharmacograpbia,' this article is called also Abushahiri-hing, from the fact of it its being imported from Abushir (Bunder Bushehr) and Blander Abbas, on the Persian Gulf. The term hira-hing is applied to a liquid of treacly consistence often found in the centre of the packages of Abushahiri-hing, and which is squeezed out, and retailed at a high price. When dried, it becomes solid and translucent.
ranclakari-hing is obtained solely from the leaf-bud in the centre of the root-bead of Narthex Asafceticla, by wounding with a sharp knife, and is generally mixed with numerous leaf-buds. It reashea Bombay in small quantities, sewn up in goat-skins, forming little oblong bale& with the hair outside. When flrst received, it is in moist flaky pieces and tears, from which a quantity of reddish-yellow oil separates on pressure ; the gum-resin itself is of dull, reddish-yellow colour, soft and elastic, with an odour of garlic and caraway-oil. By keeping, it gradually hardens, becomes brittle, assumes a rich red-brown colour, and its odour becomes more alliaceous and like that of the commercial asafcetida. The price of this pure drug is muoh higher than that of tbe ordinary. For instance, at Kandahar 1 man-i-tabriz (about 3 lb.) of the former sells for 4-7 rupees (of 2,.), while the latter brings only It is very much esteemed by the wealthy people of Ceatral India, and is used by them as a condiment and in medicine. The quantity is very limited, and the article is not to be found in general commerce in Bombay.