GENERAL REPORT. 47 
for both Z. tomentosum and glutinosum of Bentham. An infusion of the leaves 
in whisky or other alcoholic liquor is reckoned almost a panacea by the 
native population. Precise clinical trial is yet needed to determine its true 
value. 
Eritricnium rutvum, A. DC.—I have received from my friend Mr. 
William L. Kennedy, of Fort Tejon, California, abundant specimens of this 
plant, collected in white paper, which it had stained completely with a bright 
orange-red color. Mr. Kennedy accompanied the specimens with the re- 
mark that ‘‘the fresh root and leaves are used by the squaws to paint their 
faces, and that the color is not inferior to the finest rouge.” From the 
abundance of the juice, as manifested by the stained paper in which I re- 
ceived the plants, I infer that the plant might be turned to some commercial 
account. The coloring matter is not confined to this species. 
Cuscura RacEMoSsA, Mart. Alfalfa Dodder—Coming from Chili, and in- 
troduced thence into Europe; as early as 1874 was discovered in California, 
and means indicated then for its destruction by Professor Thurber in the 
American Agriculturist. Since then it has been doing extensive damage to 
the Alfalfa crop, as we hear from Dr. Engelmann in the Botanical Gazette 
for January, 1877, p. 69. An immunity from this pest would be cheaply 
purchased by early and frequent examination of the Alfalfa fields and the 
destruction of the plants infected before seeds can be matured, as advised by 
Dr. Engelmann. It is also worthy of consideration as to whether it would 
not be as well to prevent importation of Alfalfa from Chili, or, what is the 
same thing, lucerne from Europe, in view of the likelihood of introducing 
still further this unwelcome intruder from places where it has been so 
thoroughly established.* 
Nicotiana.—Various of the indigenous species of tobacco appear to 
“CUSCUTA RACEMOSA.—In the January number of the Gazette, Dr. Engelmann gave a warning to 
the farmers who wished to cultivate the Alfalfa, or California clover, to beware of the dodder, Cuscuia 
racemosa, which bad always accompanied = in — _ —— The warning was sent er 
out this region, to the county papers, but in sp 8 at 
deal of Alfalfa seed. As a consequence, a short time ago, after the clover had started well, 1 — to 
receive specimens of the plant encircled by a “ troublesome little vine”, and everybody 
what it was. lt was the genuine Cuscuta racemosa in good flower and fruit, and it has come up in porite 
Alfalfa field in this county. The agricultural editors of several widely circulated papers are reco 
ing it, and doing what they can to bring this annoying parasite into our fields.—J. M. Coulter, Bot. Gaz. 
vol. 2, p. 136. 
