136 NOTES ON AUSTRALIAN ECONOMIC BOTANY, 



Penrith, in this colony, with the report that it had poisoned cows 

 in a paddock in which there was but little grass owing to the dry 

 weather, and I was informed that horses either would not touch 

 it or that it appeared to have no effect on them. I am aware that 

 this is contrary to Queensland experience. 



Nicotiana suaveolens, Lehn. N.O. Solanacea?. " Native 

 Tobacco." 



So many contradictory statements have been made in regard to 

 the poisonous nature to stock, or the reverse, of this plant, that 

 specific evidence is now necessary to settle the point once for all. 

 In the Journal Bureau Agric. S.A., Aug., 1890, it is stated that 

 the plant has killed a number of cattle and pigs at Mannum, 

 Terowie, and other parts of South Australia. The percentage of 

 nicotine in the plant at various stages has never been ascertained, 

 so far as I am aware ; meantime we are ignorant as to the extent 

 of its poisonous nature. 



Cassia sp. N.O. Leguminosse. 



I have received some leaves (too fragmentary for determination), 

 of a Cassia from the Wilcannia district, with the report that they 

 cause purging in cattle and horses after eating only a small 

 quantity. The leaves of various species of this genus form, as is 

 well known, the sennas of commerce ; it would be interesting to 

 chemically examine any of our purgative native sennas. 



ESSENTIAL OILS. 



Eucalyptus cneorifolia, DC. N.O. Myrtaceae. 



This is another Eucalypt which has been made to yield its oil 

 for commercial purposes during the past twelve months. Messrs. 

 W. Cumming & Co., of Adelaide, have established works at 

 Kangaroo Island, South Australia, and have produced an article 

 of high quality. It is different to any other Eucalyptus oil I have 

 examined in that it has a secondary odour reminding one of dill 

 or caraways. 



