447 



CYANOGENESIS IN PLANTS. 



Part IV. — The Hyiuiocyaxic Acid of Hetkrodkxdijox — A Foddei; Plaxt of 



New Socth Wales. 



By James M. PExniE, D.Sc, F.I.C., Linxean Macle.\y Fellow of the Society 



IX Biochemistry. 



(Fruiii the I'lii/niological Laboratory of the Univeraity of Is'ychiey.) 



Ileterodeiidroii oleaefuliu was a tree little kninvii till the comiug- of the recent 

 great drought which has devastateil su large an area of the stock country. 



In times of plenteous rain the rich grass-lands of the Western Plains yield 

 abundance of food for large herds of sheep and cattle. But when the periodic 

 recurrence of a drought approaches, the grass gradually disappears, and other 

 fodder plants also become scarce. It is then that food for stock is supplemented 

 by cutting down tlie foliage of trees and mixing the latter with the available 

 food. Then the time soon arrives when only the foliage of trees is left to feed 

 the starving animals. JIauy of these trees are evergreen, and display their 

 young fresh leaves in a tempting way, when all other vegetation has dried up 

 and disappeared. Such are the conditions under which Nature affords us op- 

 portunities for fee.ling expei'iments on a large scale, yet we find the periods go 

 past and the results and observations are unrecorded. 



Some of these plants, the foliage of which was used in this way on the large 

 stations by the Castlereagh River during the last great drought, are gi\en in the 

 following list under tlieii- local names. They are all evergreen trees, and speci- 

 mens have been sent down at various times for examination. 



Trees Used for Feedixg Stock During the Drought ix the West. 



1. Rosebush — Heterodendron oleaefolia Desf. (Fam. Sapindaeeae.) 



2. Whitewood — Atalaya hemiylaucn F. v. .M. (Sapindaeeae). 



3. Wild Orange — Capparis Mitchelli Lindl. (C'apparidaceae), also called wild 

 pomegranate and bumble. 



4. Quinine-tree — Alstonia constricta F. v. M. (Apoeynaceae) . 



5. Supple Jack — Ventilago viminalis Hook. (Rharanaceae). 



6. Wilga — Geijera parviflnra Lindl. (Rutaceae). 



7. Leopard AVood — Flindersia mucidosa F. v. M. (Rutaceae). 



8. Myall — Acacia Cunninghami Hook. (Legiiminosae). 



9. Beef wood — Crevillea striata R.Br. (Proteaceae). 



10. Needlebush — lluhea leucoptera R.Br. (Proteaceae). 



11. Quandona' or native peach — Fusanus actimiiiaturi R.Br. (Santalaccae). 



12. Sandalwciod — Fiisanns persicarius TP. v. M. ( Santalaeeae). 



13. Belar — Casuariiia gluuca Sieb. (Casuarinae). 



14. Kurrajong — B rachy chiton populneus R.Br. (Sterculeaceae). 



15. Box (Eucalyptus spp.), Pine, Honeysuckle creeper. 



The foliage of all the aliove trees formed good food for sheep and cattle, and 

 the animals fattened on it. While on certain stations sheep would not eat the 



