46 



by the possible demand for the product and the probable extent of its 

 cultivation. 



At the present time enquiry is again being made respecting 

 Ipecacuanha, and considering the consumption and consequent 

 demand for the drug, the limited sources of supply, its slow reproduc- 

 tion and cultivation, there does appear a prospect for further 

 development. In most instances, however, enquiry is based on the 

 suitability of the plant for a Catch-crop, and the object of this note 

 is t'> indicate its inadaptability for cultivation under such conditions. 



Cephaelis Ipecacuanha is a dwarf, half shrubby, shade loving 

 plant indigenous to many parts of Brazil, and sparsely in New 

 Granada and probably Bolivia. It was first introduced to Europe 

 about 1830 and to India 30-40 years later. Ipecacuanha is prepared 

 from the dried roots of the plant which are exported from Brazil, 

 Cartagena, Selangor and Johore, and India (mi aimlysis slimving the 

 relative imJuc of the commercial drug from the first three cotoitries 

 metitioned is published in the Agricultural Bulletin p. 364, Vol. 8.) 

 Its cultivation — owing to its special requirements — is still limited 

 while the demand for the drug is increasing. 



Bentley and Trimen describe the process of collection in Brazil 

 as f >llo\vs: — " The roots of the Ipecacuanha plant are collected more 

 or less all the year round, but less during the rainy season from the 

 difficulty then experienced in drying them properly. The collectors 

 are called Poayeros from the Brazilian name Poaya by which this 

 plant is known. A Poayero collects the roots by grasping in one 

 hand as many stems as he is able, and with the other he pushes a 

 pointed stick obliquely with a see-saw motion in the ground beneath 

 the plants, by which he is able to pull up a lump of earth with the 

 inclosed nK)ts in an almost unbroken state. The earth is then shaken 

 from the roots which are placed in a bag brought for that purpose, 

 and the same process is repeated with other plants. When the 

 Poayera |)ulls up the roots, he l)reaks them at certain points, and 

 froni th.'se broken parts of the roots which are left in the soil, young 

 plants are subsequently produced, anJ tiius the total destruction of 

 the plant is avoided." 



In the East the plant is reproduced by root cuttings (so far as I 

 know it does not seed locally, but where well matured plants are 

 available old enough to flower, seeds could be produced by artificial 

 fertilization) but such cuttings are not easy to establish, and if the 

 root is subdivided into numerous cuttin:4s due protection to prevent 

 loss from excessive damp is necessary. Oa virgin soils, or where 

 there is a depth of vegetable humus and the situation is moist and 

 shady, the plant grows well when establishe I but the properties of 

 the root deteriorate with continued cultivation. Such deterioration 

 might be minimised, if not avoi led, by mulchin:^; with leaf-soil and 

 burnt-earth, especially burnt-humus, as the lime ontained in burnt- 

 earth and applied in tliii fv)rm, alth )ugh the proportion is small, is 

 easy of absorption. Careful cultivation is necessary as the alkaloid 

 cr active principal of the drug, only amounts to about I per cent, of 

 the loot. 



