Meer Hassan Ali, B.: Observations on the Mussulmauns of India: descriptive of their manners, customs, habits, and religious opinions ; made during a twelve years residence in their immediate Society (Band 2) (London, 1832)

THE FIRE-PLANT. 207

or bag being removed, flat seeds are discovered
in layers over each other, resembling scales of
fish; to each seed is affixed very fine white
silk, about two inches long; this silk is defended
from the air by the seed; the texture greatly
resembles the silky hair of the Cashmire goat.
I once had the mahdhaar silk collected, spun,
and wove, merely as an experiment, which
answered my full expectation: the article thus
produced might readily be mistaken for the
shawl stuff of Cashmire.

The stalks of mahdhaar, when broken, pour
out a milky juice at all seasons of the year,
which falling on the skin produces blisters.
The Natives bring this juice into use both for
medicine and alchymy in a variety of ways.

The mahdhaar, as a remedy for asthma, is in
great repute with the Natives ; it is prepared in
the following way :■—The plants are collected,
root, stalks, and leaves, and well dried by ex-
posure to the sun; they are then burnt on iron
plates, and the ashes thrown into a pan of
water, where they remain for some days, until
the water has imbibed the saline particles ;' it