360 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 June, i9I2> 



similar to those produced by slow poisoning with alcohol and certain 

 toxic proteids, namely, peripheral neuritis and degeneration of the nerve 

 endings, accompanied by a loss of muscular control. In addition, Profes- 

 sor Gilruth showed that after one to two months' continuous grazing on 

 Ragwort, cattle and horses, and, to a less extent, sheep may develop- 

 cirrhosis of the liver, and ultimately die as the result of it. Experiments 

 on another Senecio in South Africa showed that four to eight ounces a 

 day caused death in oxen in a few days to a month, the action being 

 usually a little slower on hoi'ses, and one result being the production of 

 cirrhosis of the liver. 



Accordingly, an experiment was tried to determine whether with pro- 

 longed feeding, any general poisonous action was exercised by Watsonia. 

 Owing to the quantity of material required, small animals, namely guinea 

 pigs, were used for the test, which was begun on June 30th, and extended 

 to the 7th of September ; that is, nearly eleven weeks. During the first 

 half of this period, each guinea pig received mixed bran and pollard, and 

 as green food an average of 18 grams a day of the green leaves of 

 Watsonia. These were taken fresh as required from a large bed 

 of the plants grown for this purpose in the Herbarium garden. The 

 controls received ordinary green feed, together with bran and pollard. 

 At first, the guinea pigs did not eat the Watsonia very readily, and hence 

 were not given more than 10 to 12 grams a day apiece. By the end of 

 the first week, however, they eat it readily, and received from 15 to 18 

 grams per day during the first five weeks. During the latter half of 

 the experiment they were fed with as much as they would eat, which, 

 varied from 20 to 40 grams a day apiece. The average amount consumed 

 by each animal during the whole period was 1326 grams ; that is, more 

 than the total body weight. The animals remained healthy and normal 

 during the whole period of the experiment, showed no signs of any 

 poisonous action whatever, and one pair produced a batch of young 

 towards the latter part of the experiment, which were apparently normal, 

 but were destroyed and partially devoured by the parents, probably as the 

 result of confinement or of fright, and not as the result of any nutritive 

 hunger. In any case, the experiment is sufficient to show that Watsonia 

 does not contain any poisonous principle capable of exercising any general, 

 slow, accumulative poisonous action. 



In order that those unfamiliar with the plant may be able to recognise 

 it, the following brief description is appended : — ■ 



It is a tall erect plant, usually 2 to 3 feet high, but sometimes- 

 reaching a height of 5 feet on rich moist soils. The underground base 

 of the stem is swollen into a hard bulb (corm), i to 2 inches in diameter, 

 covered with brown fibrous coats. The leaves are somewhat like those 

 of an Iris, and arise at the base of the stem. There is a single erect 

 flowering stem, sometimes slightly branched at the upper end, bearing 

 numerous rather large pink, red, or very occasionally white flowers, which 

 are sometimes partly or entirely replaced by clusters of small, fleshy, 

 pointed bulbils. The bulbils when they fall -off are able to strike root 

 and produce new plants. The plant has no special smell or taste by 

 which it can be recognised, but once seen, it is not likely to be mistaken 

 fot an} othei plant. The flowers are much like those of a Gladiolus, 

 with a curved tube and the stamens all just falling short of the tips of its 

 segments. 



