DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15174#0162
146
KINGDOM OF BOKHARA.
BOOK I.
probably the rich sap of the shrub, which exudes
and hardens into small grains. The inhabitants
entertain an absurd opinion, that it is really dew ;
I never heard that it was made by an insect, as has
been asserted. It cannot be doubted that sugar
could be manufactured from it, — a discovery that
would be invaluable, since they now use syrup of
grapes and mulberries on account of the expense of
that article. Sugar might also be extracted from
juwaree, beet-root, and melons. There is another
valuable jungle shrub, called " usl-soos," and " achick
booee" by the Uzbeks, which appears to be a bastard
indigo, and grows most luxuriantly on the banks of
the Oxus and the other rivers of the country. The
roots of this plant extend deep into the soil, and at
certain seasons of the year have a small globular
worm attached to them : this creature produces a
purple dye, like that of cochineal (kirmiz), and some
of the merchants applied for my advice regarding it:
the insect, when exposed to the sun, comes to life;
when destroyed in an oven, it shrivels up, but still
produces a dye, only inferior to cochineal. I com-
pared it with American cochineal, and they appeared
to me similar, only that the native preparation was
softer. Should this insect yield cochineal, the dis-
covery would be highly important in a silk country ;
nor is it to be doubted that its vivifying power
might be destroyed by steam. An ingenious native
of Cashmere had tried to bake it in bread, but
without better success than when placed loose in
the oven. The different grains of the country are
rice, wheat, barley, juwaree, here called "Jougan"
KINGDOM OF BOKHARA.
BOOK I.
probably the rich sap of the shrub, which exudes
and hardens into small grains. The inhabitants
entertain an absurd opinion, that it is really dew ;
I never heard that it was made by an insect, as has
been asserted. It cannot be doubted that sugar
could be manufactured from it, — a discovery that
would be invaluable, since they now use syrup of
grapes and mulberries on account of the expense of
that article. Sugar might also be extracted from
juwaree, beet-root, and melons. There is another
valuable jungle shrub, called " usl-soos," and " achick
booee" by the Uzbeks, which appears to be a bastard
indigo, and grows most luxuriantly on the banks of
the Oxus and the other rivers of the country. The
roots of this plant extend deep into the soil, and at
certain seasons of the year have a small globular
worm attached to them : this creature produces a
purple dye, like that of cochineal (kirmiz), and some
of the merchants applied for my advice regarding it:
the insect, when exposed to the sun, comes to life;
when destroyed in an oven, it shrivels up, but still
produces a dye, only inferior to cochineal. I com-
pared it with American cochineal, and they appeared
to me similar, only that the native preparation was
softer. Should this insect yield cochineal, the dis-
covery would be highly important in a silk country ;
nor is it to be doubted that its vivifying power
might be destroyed by steam. An ingenious native
of Cashmere had tried to bake it in bread, but
without better success than when placed loose in
the oven. The different grains of the country are
rice, wheat, barley, juwaree, here called "Jougan"