362 



THE AQRICULTUBAL NEWS. 



November 9, 1912. 



THE BUOHU OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



Mr. J. E. Jackson, A.L.S., has sent the following note 

 on the Buchu of South Africa. 



'So long ago as 1821 the leaves of one or more 

 species of Barosiua were introduced from South Africa 

 to the notice of the medical profession in London, under 

 the name of Buchu, or Buku, which is the native 

 name of the plants themselves. For a long time before 

 their introduction to England they were used by the 

 native population for various diseases, and ever since 

 their adoption in European practice — principally as a tonic 

 and diuretic remedy — they have been more or less in 

 demand. The plants producing them are shrubs, natives of 

 the Cape of Good Hope, and have been referred to three 

 species of Barosma, namely, B. hetulitui, B. crennlata and 

 B. serratiJoUa, belonging to the natural order Kutaceae. 

 They are classified in the London market by the shape of 

 the leaves such as 'round', 'longs', 'ovals', 'long ovals', etc., 

 and their value depends partly on their colour. They have 

 a strong smell somewhat suggestive of mint, and it is said 

 that in Thunberg's time the natives used them, dried and 

 powdered, and mixed with grease, to anoint their bodies, 

 which gave them such a rank disagreeable odour that Thun- 

 berg could not bear the smell of the men who drove the 

 waggon. 



'For some time past there has been an increasing 

 demand for Buchu leaves in the London Market, and the 

 limited supply that often occurs, automatically results in 

 increased prices, especially in the best qualities; but prices 

 all round have almost doubled within the last few months 

 Thus at the drug auctions at Mincing Lane at the end of 

 August and the beginning of September the market was 

 very firm, nothing being obtainable on the former date under 

 6s M. per ft., and a few bales of good green round leaf were 

 held at Is., while on September 5, 2 bales of good green 

 round leaves free of stalk were bought in at 7s. Fair green 

 somewhat stalky were held at 6.s. M., and very stalky yellow 

 green at 4s. ^d. It was stated at the time of this auction 

 that 29 bales had arrived from the Cape, 15 of which were 

 destined for New York and the remaining 14 for London. 

 'It is worthy of note that while the exports from South 

 Africa for the six months ending 30th of June last, amounted 

 to 172,510 a. of the value of £29,344; the quantities and 

 value for the corresponding period in the previous year were 

 146,803 ft. valued at £21,578. On the other hand, the 

 exports and values for the month of June only, show that 

 in 1911 they amounted to 31,871 ft. of the value of £5,388, 

 while in June last the quantity was 8,497 ft. and the value 

 £2,121. 



'With a plant, the uses of which have been of such long 

 standing, and are apparently increasing, so that there is 

 every promise of a continued increase in the demand at good 

 prices, it would seem that an extension of its cultivation 

 might be taken in hand in such British possessions as approach 

 in climate and other conditions suited to its culture.' 



It may be added to Mr. Jackson's observations that the 

 K'lr Bt^letii}, 1912, No. 7, issued recently, in describing 

 a buchu (JjfiriiKiiia Pegh't-ae), mentions that other names 

 loosely applied to the plants by the natives of Cape 

 Colony are Bukku and IJucco, and that the stuff called 

 Buchu Vinegar or Buchu Brandy is made by infusing the 

 leaves in vinegar, brandy or 'dop'. This is employed for 

 sundry complaints, though as One authority remarks: 'in 

 these cases its chief value perhaps is the excuse and cover it 

 affords for the occasional dose of alcohol.' In any case the 

 leaves are held in high esteem for sprains, contusions, etc., 



and it has not been denied that they are of importance in 

 alleviating rheumatic troubles. 



The Ktir Bulletin goes on to point out that fce trade 

 names of 'longs', 'ovals' and 'short-broad', 'obovate' or 'rounds' 

 apply respectively to leaves of B. sen-atifolia, B. crenulata 

 and B. befulina; though in recent years the last have been 

 preferred, and constitute now the Folia Buchu or Folia Bucco 

 of the British Pharmacopoeia. It also draws attention to 

 the fact that an article preliminary to further investigation 

 appeared in the Agricultural Journal of the Cajie of Good 

 Hope, 1910, p. 252, and states that more information is to 

 be given in a future issue of the Agricultural Journal oj the 

 Union of South Africa. The article concludes with the 

 description of B. Veglerae, stating that its leaves may 

 possibly prove to be of pharmaceutical importance. 



PRIZE-HOLDINGS COMPETITION, 

 OARRIACOU, 1912. 



The Superintendent of Agriculture, Grenada, 

 Mr. G. G. Auchinleck, B. Sc, has forwarded a copy of 

 a report by Mr. W. Malins-Smith and himself on the 

 Prize-holdings Scheme in the island of Carriacou for 

 the year 1912:— 



We hereby submit our report on the Prize-holdings 

 Scheme in the island of Carriacou for the year 1912. 



There were thirty-one entries of which five had done so 

 little work and the appearance was so poor that no marks 

 were given to them. 



We cannot say that we found any holding in excellent 

 condition; and on the whole, the appearance of the holdings 

 was backward and poor. At the same time there were 

 evidences of some attempt at improvement. This however 

 was considerably handicapped by the severe drought 

 experienced this year. 



Among the next striking features observed on the hold- 

 ings we may mention a contrivance for collecting rain- water 

 from the stem of a tree by Alfred Akie of Belair, by nailing 

 a bit of tin partly around the stem, so as to catch the water 

 trickling dovkfn and spout it into a tub Alexander of 

 Beausejour has a large plot of selected cotton which gave 

 a yield last year of 33;\ per cent, of lint to seed-cotton. 



Rebecca Philip of Beausejour was able to show a splen- 

 did field of bananas and cacao. Stephen Mark of Tophill is 

 growing a large variety of fruit trees and bringing them on 

 very satisfactorily in a rather exposed situation. 



There were only four of the competitors who made any 

 attempt at the conservation of manures. 



The competitors do not yet seem to havi- ^-t a real grip 

 of the idea of the Prize-holdings Scheme. We would recom- 

 mend that visits of the Agricultural Instructor be increased 

 next year. 



The crops generally throughout the island are very late 

 and poor this year. The corn crop is particularly poor. 

 This is due no doubt to the prolonged and severe dry season 

 which ended in June. 



A list at the end of the report shows that the 

 following were successful: S. Mark and S. Augustine, 

 Tophill, awarded first and second prizes of £2 IDs.; 

 Rebecca Philip, and G. M. .Joseph, Beausejour, awarded 

 third and fourth prizes of £1 10s.; J. Cummins, Pros- 

 pect Hall, and P. Augustine, Harvey Vale, awarded 

 fifth and si.xth prizes of £1. 



