136 



March so that by pulling up plants at that time of the year reproduc- 

 tion by seed is prevented." " I have been recently informed by Mr. F. 

 Ransom that the percentage of alkaloid in Selangor Ipecacuanha is 

 now less than when the drug was first imported. This may of course 

 be due to impoverishment of the soil or to collection at a different 

 period of the year or more probably from plants of different age, but 

 Mr. Ransom's conclusion does not appear to be shared by other 

 chemists who have examined the root : so that different samples prob- 

 ably vary in quality and activity." (I would suggest that if Mr. 

 Ransom's conclusion is correct another cause may be constant propa- 

 gation from cuttings. Plants propagated continuously from cuttings 

 for a large number of years are very at apt to deteriorate. H. N. R.) 



COMBRETUM SUNDAICUM. 



In the same number of the Pharmaceutical Journal is an article by 

 Mr. E. F. Harrison on the constituents of Gombretum sundaicum the 

 much" talked of Chinese anti-opium drug. Mr. Harrison has submitted 

 both the raw and roasted drug as prepared by the Chinese to elaborate 

 chemical analysis. The treatment showed the existence of no alkaloid. 

 A green resin was obtained, and tannin was also found, as has been 

 done by other chemists. 



The story of this drug has already been detailed in the Bulletin. 

 There seems no reason to suppose it has any special properties, but 

 several chemists are still at work investigating it thoroughly. 



H. N. Ridley. 



FUNTUMIA ELASTICA FRUITING IN PBKAK. 



Mr. A. D. Machado sends a parcel of seed of Funtumia elastica 

 from trees growing on the Kamuning estate. This is the first occur- 

 rence we believe of this tree having fruited here. Has any one 

 else fruited it? Mr. Machado's plants were sent as seed from the 

 Government of the Congo Free State in March 1905, and he says 

 are flourishing trees and seem full of rubbers Funtumia has long been 

 introduced here, but seems generally to grow slowly and to be subject 

 to the attacks of the caterpillar of Caprinia Conchylalis as has been 

 recorded before. One is glad to hear it is doing better in some 

 parts of the peninsula. Curiously I find a plant of Funtumia Af ricana 

 in the Gardens just fruiting also for the first time. 



H. N. Ridley. 



A FURTHER NOTE ON CRENOTHRIX. 



It is not uncommon when digging in low-lying soil to come upon 

 a blue clay of rather firm texture, and very wet. This clay is permeat- 

 ed by rootlets of grasses and other plants, which on decaying leave 

 tubes in the clay, which are usually filled with water. These tubes in 



