Chapter PUNSAREE to PUTCHOCK of P by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

(indigenous in China (sic), used in medicine for fumigation, &c.). Apparently it is always the root and not the leaves of the plant that are used, in which case Marsden may have confused the two senses of the word.”] In the year 1837–38 about 250 tons of this article, valued at £10,000, were exported from Calcutta alone. The annual import into China at a later date, according to Wells Williams, was 2,000 peculs or 120 tons (Middle Kingdom, ed. 1857, ii. 308). In 1865–66, the last year for which the details of such minor exports are found in print, the quantity exported from Calcutta was only 492½ cwt., or 24 5/8 tons. In 1875 the value of the imports at Hankow and Chefoo was £6,421. [Watt, Econ. Dict. vi. pt. ii. p. 482, Bombay Gazetteer, xi. 470.]

1516.—See Barbosa under CATECHU.

1520.—“We have prohibited (the export of) pepper to China…and now we prohibit the export of pucho and incense from these parts of India to China.”—Capitulo de hum Regimento del Rey a Diogo Ayres, Feitor da China, in Arch. Port. Orient., Fasc. v. 49.

1525.—“Pucho of Cambaya worth 35 tangas a maund.”—Lembranças, 50.

[1527.—Mr. Whiteway notes that in a letter of Diogo Calvo to the King, dated Jan. 17, pucho is mentioned as one of the imports to China.—India Office MS. Corpo Chronologico, vol. i.]

1554.—“The baar (see BAHAR) of pucho contains 20 faraçolas (see FRAZALA), and an additional 4 of picota (q.v.), in all 24 faraçolas.…”—A. Nunes, 11.

1563.—“I say that costus in Arabic is called cost or cast; in Guzarate it is called uplot (upaleta); and in Malay, for in that regio there is a great trade and consumption thereof, it is called pucho. I tell you the name in Arabic, because it is called by the same name by the Latins and Greeks, and I tell it you in Guzerati, because that is the land to which it is chiefly carried from its birth-place; and I tell you the Malay name because the greatest quantity is consumed there, or taken thence to China.”—Garcia, f. 72.

c. 1563.—“…Opium, Assa Fetida, Puchio, with many other sortes of Drugges.”—Caesar Frederike, in Hakl. ii. 343.

[1609.—“Costus of 2 sorts, one called pokermore, the other called Uplotte (see Garcia, above).”—Danvers, Letters, i. 30.]

1617.—“5 hampers pochok.…”—Cocks, Diary, i. 294.

1631.—“Caeterum Costus vulgato vocabulo inter mercatores Indos Pucho, Chinensibus Potsiock, vocatur…vidi ego integrum Picol, quod pondus centum et viginti in auctione decem realibus distribui.”—Jac. Bontii, Hist. Nat., &c., lib. iv. p. 46.

1711.—In Malacca Price Currant, July 1704: “Putchuck or Costus dulcis.”—Lockyer, 77.

1726.—“Patsjaak (a leaf of Asjien (Acheen ?) that is pounded to powder, and used in incense).…”—Valentijn, Choro. 34.

1727.—“The Wood Ligna dulcis grows only in this country (Sind). It is rather a Weed than a Wood, and nothing of it is useful but the Root, called Putchock, or Radixdulcis.… There are great quantities exported from Surat, and from thence to China, where ït generally bears a good Price.…”—A. Hamilton, i. 126; [ed. 1744, i. 127].

1808.—“Elles emploient ordinairement…une racine aromatique appelée pieschtok, qu’on coupe par petits morceaux,

et fait bouillir dans de l’huile de noix de coco. C’est avec cette huile que les danseuses se graissent…”—Haajner, ii. 117.

1862.—“Koot is sent down country in large quantities, and is exported to China, where it is used as incense. It is in Calcutta known under the name of ‘Patchuk.’ ”—Punjab Trade Report, cvii.