KALVER-BOSJE {PELARGONIUM SID OWES DC). 



By J. Burtt-Davy, F.L.S. 



Specimens of this plant have been received through the 

 -courtesy of Mr. P. J. Pienaar, of Pretoria, with the information 

 that it was used in the Lichtenburg District as a remedy for 

 worms in calves. The plant was found on the farm of Mr. J. N. 

 Uys, Rietfontein 2yy, Korannafontein, via Klerksdorp. where it 

 was flowering on April i8th last. Mr. Uys gives the following- 

 recipe for its use: — "Take a portion of Kalver-bosje and a 

 similar portion of Haak-doorn, mix well and bruise the roots, 

 leaves and stems {i.e., the complete plant) with an axe. After 

 bruising same boil for about 3 Hours until the liquid is dark 

 brown in colour. Give it to the sick calf as hot as possible. 

 'Give it to the calf before it has sucked." 



As the specimens received from Mr. Uys could not be 

 identified with any of the Pelargoniums in the Flora Capensis, 

 they were sent to Kew for determination, and have been named 

 Pelargonium sidoides DC., a species not described in the Flora 

 Capcnsis. The roots of this plant are reddish in colour and 

 .agreeably scented. The Haakdoorn referred to is Zizyphus 

 Zc\)hcnana, Sond. 



ORGANISATION OF SCIENCE.— A recent issue of the 

 Pharmaceutical Journal has the following: " Many years ago 

 •a Royal Commission unanimously recommended that the State 

 should be aided by a scientific council in facing the new prob- 

 lems in science constantly arising, but up to the present the 

 home Government has neglected this advice, although the ap- 

 plication of the resources of modern science to the economic, 

 industrial, and agricultural development of India has for many 

 years engaged the earnest attention of that country. In Ger- 

 many science is fostered and utilised to an infinitely greater 

 extent than here. There a council, consisting of representa- 

 tives of the ministry, the universities, the industries, and agri- 

 culture, does for industrial war what military and defence 

 councils do for national armaments; it considers everything 

 relating to the use of brain-power in peace — from alterations 

 in school regulations and the organisation of the universities, 

 to railway rates and fiscal schemes, including the readjustment 

 of duties. It is fairly obvious that a nation so provided must 

 have enormous chances in its favour. It is a question of 

 -drilled battalions against an undisciplined army, of the use of 

 the scientific spirit as opposed to the hope of ' muddling 

 through.' In this country we have no body to organise 

 scientific work, and hence there was a very pressing need for 

 some such organisation as the British Science Guild, which was 

 founded some five years ago, mainly with the object of bring- 

 :'ing together as members of the Guild all those throughout the 



