236 



Botanical Notes, 



The True ''Rattlesnake Master'' appears to be Agave Virginica, 

 1.,, and not Erj/7igmm agtiatictim, L., {=E. yiicccBfoliiiniy Michx.). 

 Gray gives the name to the latter plant, but neither Wood nor 

 Chapman recognizes it at all. A very intelligent correspondent 

 in East Tennessee assures me that the Agave (fully identified from 

 specimens sent) is the genuine ** Rattlesnake Master.'* He says: 

 ''My experience is this : Take a stick, get a rattlesnake 'mad/ 

 and it will strike the stick as viciously as it would a man. But i, 



rub the root of this plant on the end of the stick and put it to the 

 snake's head, and it will run or drop its head as low as possible, 

 and not attempt to strike the stick. I have tried several snakes 

 of the rattler kind, and never could induce one to bite or snap at 

 a stick with this weed rubbed on it/' The Eryiigium, common 

 in the same region, is called " Crow Poison," and is not associated 

 with the rattlesnake in any way in popular estimation. E. E. S. 



Urechites sitherecta, MuelL An experimental research by Dr. 

 Minkiewicz. (Therap. Gaz., p. 514.) A brief resume of our 

 knowledge of the physiological action of this plant, from which 

 the doctor concludes that its properties cannot be utilized in med- 

 icine. We remember that the same conclusion was reached some 

 years ago concerning " Jaborandi,'' which has now become one 

 of our important drugs. The same result may yet be reached 

 in the case of Urechites. In the article in question the plant, an 

 Apocynacea, is referred to the Asclepiadacege. 



The ''Loco- weeds'' of our southwestern region have been 

 still further examined by a Mr, Kennedy, who reports (Pharm. 

 Rec, July 2) that he fails to find any constituent capable of pro- 

 ducing toxic effects. 



Vernonia Nigritiana. A fresh instance of the remarkable 

 and inexplicable diversity of physiological effects produced by 



Ni 



tiana, Oliver & Hirn, of Western 

 acts similarly to digitalis. 



Cineraria maritima, Willd From the reports of Dr. A. Mer- 



