443 



Lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus) which gave satisfactory results in 

 this way> but were found to be too expensive. They have also the objec- 

 tion that being climbers they cause trouble by twining round the young 

 plants, and after the catastrophe in Province Wellesley some years ago 

 when the brown-seeded wild form being used, some coolies collected 

 and ate the beans with fatal results it is hardly likely that it will be 

 used again here. 



At the recent Agri- horticultural exhibition at Kuala Lumpor, 

 there was as usual a prize offered for the best sample of Tuba, the 

 roots of Dcrris elliptic®, so commonly cultivated by the Chinese for the 

 purpose of killing insects infesting the vegetable gardens, and which is 

 also well known as a piscicide, for stupefying fish. The Malays how- 

 ever who entered iox this competition sent a series of roots and fruits 

 which were used by them as piscicides, or Tubas. Of the use of these 

 nothing seems to be known, and as the knowledge of all plants of a 

 poisonous nature is very desirable, I put together what notes I 

 have on these, in the hope that the attention of those who have an 

 opportunity of making further observations may be called to these 

 plants. 



The largest series was shown by a Malay who exhibited samples 

 of eight kinds of piscicides, but as most of these however were repre- 

 sented by roots only they were unidentifiable. The Malay names were 

 given as follows. 



Tuba buah is the fruit of a Diospyros, D. toposioidcs King, and 

 Gamble (Ebenaccce). It is a big tree about 40 feet tall or less, with 

 alternate coriaceous leaves, oblong-elliptic shortly acuminate or 

 acute, base rounded, with 16 to 20 pairs of nerves, little curved and 

 arching far from the edge. Male flowers i inch long in cymose axil- 

 lary panicles. Females larger, fruit in cymes often very thickly crow- 

 ded on the branches, an inch or an inch and a quarter through when ripe 

 and at first covered with a red fur, which rubs off easily. In shape it is 

 globose with a depressed top. The sepals form a thick undulating disc 

 four lobed and shorter than the fruit, covered at first with red hairs, 

 which rub off. 



The fruit is said by the Malays to be very poisonous to fish. It 

 occurs in Perak, in the Dindings and in Selangor. 



Another species of the same genus named Menticba, was obtained 

 by Mr. Cantley's collector in Malacca at Selandor. It is a tree 60 



H. N. E. 



NOTES ON SOME PISCICIDES. 



Tuba Bua 

 Tuba Ubi 

 Tuba Jenou 

 Tuba Lucheh 



Selowung 

 Tuba Pahang 

 Ambi Ara 

 Kechubong. 



