io6 Journal of Agriculture. [lo Feb., 1909^ 



"The weed was gathered fresh every day, and given to the sheep 

 morning and evening by three methods: — ist. In the natural state. 2na. 

 Chopped into small pieces and moistened with water, it was administered 

 with the thumb and fingers, by placing it on the roof of the tongue; it 

 was slightly chewed and swallowed; the little water left in the pan was 

 given as a drench after the feed; none was wasted; a pound weight of 

 the plant was found to be too large a feed at once, but halt-a-pound 

 night and morning was taken with ease and comfort, and evidently 

 relished ; (it has an agreeable odour when drying, like new hay, and a 

 slightly bitter taste). 3rd. Made into a decoction like tea, by steeping, 

 2 lb. of weed in one gallon of boiling water, and covering it up one to 

 two hours, drained off, and used when cool, it has a brownish colour, fra- 

 grant smell, and by no means an unpleasant taste. Those drenched with 

 this decoction fed with less relish than those starved into taking the weed, 

 but showed no nausea, lassitude, or any indication of illness. 



" It may be observed that over 56 lbs. of the weed was procured fresh, 

 and used by weight. This was reduced by evaporation and some dirt. 

 The bulk of this weed was consumed by six sheep in six days without 

 the slightest evidence of medicinal effect ; their spirits never flagged, 

 their general appearance was of perfect health, and their evacuations 

 were normal in quantity, colour, and consistency throughout the experi- 

 ments. 



" Paddock sheep do not take kindly to pen feeding ; hence, to save 

 time, resort was had to hand-feeding and drenching. Each sheep occu- 

 pied a separate pen. No food was given during the experiments, ex- 

 cepting a handful of saltbush and chaff, mixed with the first feed of 

 chopped plant in the troughs to tempt them to eat. Water to drink was 

 constantly provided in pans, excepting while drenching with the decoction. 



" On the third day of the experiments the crossbred ewe dropped a 

 male lamb fully developed, and cleansed at once (not abortion). Both 

 were perfectly robust and healthy, the ewe feeding ravenously on the 

 green fresh succulent plant, without any other food whatever, and giving 

 plenty of milk. She reared the lamb. 



" This was the triumph of the tests, as it not only proved that no 

 poison was in the plant, or the milk would have become contaminated ; 

 and also demonstrated that the plant was wholesome and nutritious 

 herbage. 



" Subsequently, two years later, I repeated experiments with this plant,, 

 by feeding starving sheep upon it for several consecutive days, with some 

 sheep using the plant green and fresh, and on others dry, some sheep 

 living on the plant alone, others taking it with other food. Rabbits and 

 guinea-pigs also eat it. In every instance it proved to be a good nutritious 

 feeding plant. 



" To ascertain if it had any caustic or irritant properties, I introduced 

 the milky juice into the eyes of sheep, and dogs, and applied it to the 

 skin of sheep, in everv instance without being able to detect the slightest 

 caustic or irritant action, either from its internal or external use. 



" In order to have the plant examined, I made an extract and also a 

 tincture for analysis in the laboratory, and handed them to the Govern- 

 ment Analyst, with a bundle of the plant, with the following result: — 



" Mr. Hamlet, the Government Analyst, 2nd August, 1886, reported 

 on Eu-phorbia Drummoiidii : ' The samples of plant, extracts, and tincture, 

 sent by you in April last, have been found to contain an alkaloid or 



