KXPKRIMENTAI, A YD ANALYTICAL WORK IO79 



Table IV. — Total percentage of alkaloid in the samples of Hyoscyamus and 

 Datura [percentage of dried substance). 



Hyoscyamus muticus : leaves and stalks 0.770 % 



Datura Stramonium from EgJ'pt : stalks and fruits .... 0.138 



" " " " leaves 0.320 



D. Stramonium from the Soudan : stalks, and fruit cases . 0.130 



" " " " " seeds 0.096 



D. Stramonium from South Africa : leaves o-540 



Medicinal and poisonous plants from South Africa (i). — A summary of 

 the results hitherto obtained at the Imperial Institute from a study of the 

 following species : — Senecio latifolius, producing the " Molterno disease " 

 in livestock ; — Acokanthera venenata ; Ornithoglossum glaucum (« Cape 

 Slangkop ») a poisonous pasturage plant ; — Homeria pallida, causing great 

 losses of livestock yearly in the Transvaal ; — Crotalaria Burkeana, causing 

 the disease known as " stiff sickness " in livestock ; — Chailletia cymosa 

 (= Dichapetalum cymosmn), known in S. Africa as " Gift-blad ", one of the 

 South African plants most injurious to cattle ; — Strychnos Henningsii : 

 in Eastern Pondoland, by infusing the bark of this plant in alcohol, bitters 

 are prepared which are used as an aperient ; the bark and the fruits contain 

 a still unidentified alkaloid ; — ■ Gonioma Kamassi which contains alkaloid 

 in its bark ; Mesemhryanthemun Mahoni — the roots of which contain a 

 large proportion of oxalates, a yeast (Tcrula), and the moulds Mucor erectus, 

 Aspergillus oryzae, as well as Rhopalocystis nigra {= Aspergillus niger), 

 are used in the preparation of an intoxicating and poisonous liquor by the 

 natives of the Transvaal and as yeast for bread by the whites ; — Raphio- 

 nacme divaricata : its roots yield by fermentation an intoxicating and poison- 

 ous liquor employed by the natives ; — Datura Stramonium ; — Barosma 

 venusta — - Kaempferia Ethelae, the dried tubers of which are used in the 

 popular medicine of the Rand natives ; — Bersana Tysoniana — the bitter 

 bark of which is used as a drug by the natives ; — Chrysophyllum viridi- 

 folium and similar species : from their bark a substance resembling saponin 

 is extracted ; — Urginea Burkei — which causes heavy losses of livestock in 

 South Africa ; — Buxus Macowani : its wood, known as " South African box- 

 wood " or " Cape boxwood " is adapted for turning and wood carving work 

 like that of B. sempervirens, when certain precautions are taken in cutting 

 and drying it. It abounds in the forests of Alexandria, Cape Province, and 

 still more in those of Transkeian. 



Trinidad Silk. — A first attempt at silkworm breeding was made in 

 Trinidad in 1868, in which year Attacus ricini was introduced and suc- 

 cessfully reared in that island. In 1^93 there werre imported: Anthe- 

 raca pernyi ; Attacus cynthia ; Telea polyphemus ; Callosamia promethea. 

 The first named was successfully reared on leaves of Terminalia Catappa ; 

 the second on leaves of the castor oil plant ; the cocoons obtained were 

 smaller than those imported ; the other two were not successful. Further 

 trials prove that Attacus cynthia can be acclimatised in Trinidad. Bom- 

 hyx mori was imported there in 1907. Up to now its rearing has been ra- 



(i) See also B. March 1915, N" 246. [Ed.) 



