TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 127 



by advice and otherwise. If an arrangement of this kind were extended all over 

 the country, a knowledge of science would exist among the people, of which they 

 are at present altogether destitute. The author entered upon some details of the 

 system he proposed. 



Botany. 



On the Cultivation of Ipecacuanha in the Edinhurgh Botanic Garden for trans- 

 mission to India. By Professor Balfoxte, F.R.SS. L. ^ E. 



Ipecacuanha is a valuable remedy for dysenter}', and has been administered in 

 large doses with decided benefit by medical men in India. The cultivation of the 

 plant, however, owing to the rashness or carelessness of collectors and other 

 causes, has failed to a certain extent in South America ; and unless means can be 

 taken for more extended cidtivation, it seems probable that the quantity of Ipeca- 

 cuanha might be insufficient for medicinal purposes, and its price might rise in 

 the market to such an extent as to interfere with its general use. In these 

 circumstances the Secretaiy of State for India (His Grace the Duke of Argyll) 

 applied to the Directors of the Botanic Gardens in Britain with the view of 

 ascertaining whether a sufficient stock of plants could be procured for exportation 

 to India with the view of cultivation there for medicinal purposes. In the Edin- 

 burgh Botanic Garden there were some specimens of the plant which had been 

 cultivated for forty years or more, and it was found by Mr. M'=Nab that these 

 could be easily multiplied by making sections of the root or rhizome. A descrip- 

 tion of the method pursued was read to the Botanical Society of Edinburgh, and 

 separate copies were printed for the use of the India Office. The plant in the 

 Garden was the same as that described by Sir William Hooker, and figured in the 

 ' Botanical Magazine.' The supply from this source was obviously not sufficient 

 for the purposes which tire India Office had in ^iew, and the time required for 

 propagation would be too long. Accordingly, Professor Balfour and Dr. Christison 

 wrote to a previous Graduate of the University of Edinburgh, Dr. Gunning, re- 

 siding at Palmeiras, near Rio Janeiro, and induced him to take an interest in the 

 matter. He entered cordially into their proposals, and very soon sent to the 

 Botanic Garden boxes containing fresh plants. Although several of them suffered 

 in the transit, owing to the mode of packing and the want of attention during the 

 voyage, still a considerable number reached the Garden in a state fit for propaga- 

 tion after the method pursued by Mr. M^Nab. By this process a large stock of 

 between 200 and 300 plants was secured. Of these, a considerable number have 

 been transmitted to India successfully in a Wardian case. A figure of this case was 

 given in Mr. M'^jSTab's published report. By the method employed, the small pots 

 containing the plants were carefully secured, so that the case might even be turned 

 upside do-mi without injury*. The plant sent by Dr. Gunning differs in some 

 particulars from that formerly in cultivation in the Botanic Garden, more espe- 

 cially as regards the form of its leaves. The old plant has leaves of a firmer 

 texture, more or less elliptical, and somewhat wavy at the margin, and the stem 

 suffi'uticose. The plant also flowers readily after a year's growth. The recent 

 plant sent by Dr. Gunning resembles more the form figured by Martins. Its 

 leaves are more delicate and pointed, its stem not so shrubby, and it has not yet 

 produced flowers. There may be two varieties of the plant. The full determina- 

 tion of this must be reserved till the Eio Janeiro plants come into flower. 



The drawings which were exhibited show the character of both varieties, so 

 far as they can be at present represented from the specimens in the Botanic 

 Garden. The drawings show the fomi of the leaves and stems, the character of 

 the stipides and glands, the stomata and hairs of the leaves, and the microscopical 

 structure of the stems and rhizomes. 



The subject has been brought under the notice of the Meeting with the view of 

 calling attention to the cultivation of a plant which, like Cinchona, is highly 

 * The case exhibited to tlie Meeting showed the arrangement. 



