Vol. VIII. Xo. 191. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



201 



two varieties, Aniarillo and Colorado, the difference being 

 that the colour of the fruit of the former is yellow, while in 

 the latter it is red. Of Forastero, also, three kinds are dis- 

 tinguished by fruit characters : ( 'uii4eanior veraguso, 

 Ordinary or Typical, and Anielonado : the first and the third 

 are separated from one another by the faci that the former 

 is warted and the latter melon-shaped. Eaph of these, again, 

 has two varieties : Amarillo (yellow) and Colorado (red). 

 A secondary division into kinds does not^ obtain in Cala- 

 tacillo, as all the fruits are small, smooth, thin- or thick- 

 skinned, with flat beans ; it is immediately Separated into two 

 varieties, which, like those of the kinds mentioned above, are 

 named Amarillo and Colorado, and for the same reason. 



Of the classes of T. Caaio, Criollo yields produce of a high 

 value, but it is not as vigorous as the ( )thers. Forastero in 

 the West Indies is variable, but, typically, a strong grower, 

 bearing rough, ridged pods. Calabacillo is inferior to these ; 

 it is a strongly-growing tree, however, which flourishes on 

 lands \\here the others refuse to thrive ; this property, com- 

 bined with the fact that it can do with less shade, recommends 

 it as a stock for grafting selected varieties. 



In the classification given there are thus fourteen types, 

 arranged under three classes. It must be understood, how- 

 ever, that these are not separated from one another by 

 a definite margin, and that intermediate forms will be found 

 on estates, showing every conceivable form of variation. This 

 tendency to vary, in the absence of control, is harmful, as it 

 results in the production of inferior kinds, and therefore in 

 gradual deterioration — a process which is aided by the 

 ■continual propagation of the plant from seed. 



WILD IPECACUANHA AND ITS EFFECT 

 ON CATTLE. 



It will be remeiiibered that, in the Ai/ricaltaral 

 Meim of July 10, 1009, infornaation i.s given as to the 

 possible poisonous action of this plant when eaten by 

 cattle, and that a request was made that planters and 

 •others should send any suggestions or observations 

 which they may have to make in connexion with the 

 matter to the Imperial Department of Agriculture. 

 Since then, a note by Dr. \V. J. Branch on the subject 

 has been forwarded by the Agricultural Superintendent 

 of St. Kitts, from which the following information is 

 taken : — 



The generic portion of the name of this plant is the 

 Greek form of the Latin Esculapiu.s, the god of medicine. 

 The name of this particular species — curassavica — indicates 

 the belief that it came originally from the Island of Curacjao. 

 It is now to be found in abundance in nearly all tropical 

 ■countries. The plant spreads with great rapidity, owing to 

 the coma on the seeds, by means of which they float on the 

 wind. The young plant will take root and' thrive in any soil. 

 Grisebach considers AscfejiiaK cur'insai'iciA,. as indigenous to 

 the West Indies, as its specific name indicates. Among the 

 different names for it are : Indian root, wild ipecacuan, 

 Curac^ao swallow root, red head, and bastard ipecacuan. Most 

 of the vernacular names of this plant refer, like the names of 

 the Genus and of the Natural Order to which it belongs, to 

 its indubitably powerful medicinal properties. Grisebach 

 says it is a diaphoretic medicine. 



The Genus Aschpiax belongs to the Natural Order of 

 the Asclepiadeae. Nearly all the plants of this Order have 

 a milky juice, which is generally more or less poisonous, and 

 in some, it is e.xceedingly virulent, (lonolohna luacrophyll n» 

 has a juice that is used to poison arrows ;' Peo'/zZocn (jraeea 

 kills wolves. On the other hand, valuablemedicines can be 



got from some of the Asclepiads. From CahttroiiU ijiijiniteii 

 is got ithe famous Mudar, much esteemed in India as a cure 

 for dysentery ; Ti/loplwra a.^f/unnfica' is also relied on in that 

 country in the treatment of dysenterj'. Asr/ejji<i.t iiireK, 

 a West Indian plant, is used by the negroes, according ti> 

 Loudon, as a medicine. A^rhpins dccunihens is much valued 

 in Virginia in the treatment of pleurisy ; it induces profuse 

 sweating without raising the temperature. Hcmklesimix 

 indicux, the synonym of which is Asdejikis jiscudo-sarsn, 

 makes a slightly sudorific -syrup, and is largely used in big 

 doses as a flavouring an:l colouring ingredient in many mix- 

 tures prescribed by modern physicians. Some of the 

 Asclepiads also furnish fodder for cattle and food for men. 

 OxijHtiliiia exruhntiun, a synonym of which is Asrl''pins romi, 

 is used in the East Indies as fodder for cattle. The people 

 in the French part of Canada eat the slioots of Asclepitix 

 sz/r/imt. I'trijidaria edidis has a root like a yam and as big 

 as a man's head ; this is eaten by the Hottentots. But the 

 most notable of this class is Gyinni'ina lacfifem, the Cow-tree 

 of Ceylon. It is a pity that this has not been introduced 

 into the AVest Indies, for its copious milky juice is an admir- 

 able substitute for milk, for the use of human beings. 



It does not seem probable that the recent scare in 

 St. Kitts about the poisonous effect of Asclepias cimissaviai 

 on stock is quite justifiable. It is not impossible that some 

 animals may get diarrhoea and loss of appetite from eating 

 it in any quantity, if they can be induce:! to do so. But it 

 is curious that only now, and in St. Kitts, has its virulent 

 nature been discovered, though the plant is most abundantly 

 distributed through tne West Indif* and in other tropical 

 countries. Its properties, moreover, have been diligently 

 studied by the natives of the countries where it grows, and 

 it has been freely administered as medicine to men, women, 

 and children. If it was destructive to stock, the fact ought 

 to liave been found out and published long ago. At the 

 same time, this plant is perhaps unwholesome as food for 

 stock, if the animals really eat it, and if so, its presence in 

 abundance on pasture lands must detract from the value of 

 such lands as feeding-grounds for stock. The plant does not 

 seem to the writer of these notes to be nearly as common in 

 St. Kitts as in Barbados. As an illustration, it is note- 

 worthy that a very common butterfly in the latter island i.s 

 Arc/iijjpus, the caterpillar of which feeds on Asr/epidit 

 curassavica, while this insect is very rarely seen in St. Kitts, 



' CoBFea robusta ' in Java. 



In the Mdiitlib/ Trade and Coiif<idar Rejurrfs of 

 the United States for July 1909, an account is given of 

 the results of the introduction of Co feu rohusta into Java, 



This species was discovered growing wild in the Congo, 

 but attempts to cultivate it there were not productive of 

 useful results. Plants were sent to the Jardin Botanique at 

 Brussels, and thence to Java, in 1902. It is stated to have 

 met with wonderful .success in its cidtivation there, so much 

 so in some instances as to save old estates from ruin. It 

 thrives on ground where C<iffea arabica and C. Ulieriai have 

 ceased to yield any profit, and at the same time is prolific, 

 giving about 8.50 pounds per acre after three years. At five 

 years, under good cultivation, it ha.s produced twice as much 

 as this. 



The trees are planted about 6 feet apart, and topped at 

 about .5-1 feet high ; when young they recpiire shade. The 

 bean is very small, and for the first two crops lacks the 

 characteristic aroma of coffee ; later crops improve in taste 

 and aroma. The output for the year 1908 is given as 

 217,600 R)., valued at appro.ximately £6,750. 



