345 
Hooper also tried the effect of an aqueous solution of the 
alcoholic extract of the leaves on flies, fleas, mosquitoes, centipedes, 
¢., and observed that it acted as a poison in every case, but he 
found that a considerable dose of the alcoholic extract given to a 
dog did not have any injurious effects. 
It appears, however, that, as an insecticide, “ vasicine cannot be 
used as at present available. A tartrate is in the market, but 
cheaper and equally efficacious insecticides already exist.”* 
It is stated that the fresh leaves of this plant are used in con- 
nection with rice-cultivation in some parts of India, They are 
scattered over the recently flooded fields, and are held by the 
native cultivators to act both as a manure, and as a poison, which 
ills the aquatic weeds.t ; ; 
Assuming that marked medicinal properties are rightly attributed 
to Adhatoda Vasica,t it may be expected that some other members 
of the Acanthaceae will prove to contain drugs of a like nature or 
importance, 
Sao: L. A. B. 
A New Rubber Plant (Asclepias stellifera, Schlecht.),—T owards the 
latter end of last year herbarium specimens of a plant, with a small 
sample of rubber extracted from it by maceration, were received 
from Mr. J. Burtt Davy, Department of Agriculture, Transvaal. 
The sample of rubber was prepared by Mr. J. Ivens Ferraz, 
Official Translator to the High Commissioner of the Transvaal, 
but was too small to admit of a commercial valuation being placed 
upon it ; the herbarium material, however, was sufficiently complete. 
to allow of its botanical origin being satisfactorily determined. : 
Asclepias stellifera is ‘a native of Sout pee Fe 9 
3 to 10 ins, high, and, according to Flora Capensis, 18 foun ae e 
Coast region at an altitude of 3,500 to 4,000 ft. in the — - 
oo 4,000 to 6,000 ft., and in the Eastern region at 9, 
900 ft 
The rubber is yielded by the root, which is stated to be very long 
and perennial. The inns has been found in hard sees bel 
veld, struggling with all sorts of weeds, but thriving better w 
no other plants existed. ; Leas 
Upon alipecine the specimens of the plant sent with ore in 
the chain, Mr. N. E. Brown found that in the orang “a a 
Toot-stock of a dried specimen collected 46 years seo e ie ie 
Contained in them was quite as elastic as in the recently-collected 
i i 25. 
* Watt, The Economic Products of India (1908), p. 
Wait, The Econom. Prod. India (1908) ; Hooper, loc. cit. 
ooper, l.c. 
