345 
of the quantity stated above. (See also Eug. Collin, sur le vra. et le 
faux Ko-sam, Journal de Pbarmacie et de Chinue, 1900, ll,p. i^o). 
Merck's Annual Report for 1901, p- / 77 - 
A BLACK ROT DISEASE OF GINGER IN 
JAMAICA. 
A fungal disease of Ginger is reported by Mr. Howard from 
Jamaica in the Jamaica Bulletin (November and December, 1901, 
and February, 1902). The fungustravels underground by means of 
rhizomorphs black root-like bodies, and penetrates the rhizomes 0 
the "infer, appearing like black lines in the rhizome. The diseased 
plants should be burnt, and the ground in which the disease appears 
should be isolated by trenches, only healthy rhizomes should be 
planted and they should be soaked for a few hours in Bordeaux 
mixture. 
ROUCHERIA GRIFFITHIANA, 
Some time ago in reply to a request by Dr. GRESHOFF, of Haar- 
lem, a quantity of the bark of Roucherta Griffith arm, Akar 
Ip oh Putih of the Malays was sent for analysis. The plant is a 
stout climber with whitish bark, lanceolate dark green leaves, and 
an abundance of small yellow flowers followed by small red drupes. 
It climbs by means of peculiar hooks which thicken as they get a 
hold on the neighbouring vegetation. It belongs to the order Linece, 
and is very abundant all over the Peninsula. The bark is used 
by the Sakais in the preparation of their poison for the blow-pipe 
darts, and as they state that it is effective as a poison it was desir- 
able that it should be examined. 
The analysis was made by Dr. J. SACH, of Gottinger and is pub- 
lished as an Inaugural Dissertation. From the bark he extracted 
a crystalline substance, a cholesterin, known as Lupeol. 
Dr. SHERMANS REPORT ON GUTTA PERCHA. 
A copy of this interesting report has been received at the Botanic 
Gardens Library. It has been already referred to in the last num- 
ber of the bulletin through an extract from the India Rubber World, 
but no mention was made to the excellent series of photographs no 
less than thirtysix in number with which it is illustrated. The 
photographs represent trees, leaves fruit etc., of Dichopsis Gutta , 
Pay end Leerii, Heveci Rrcizitiensis , Cast illoti Rlastica, Ficus 
elastica and Willughbeia jirma and W.t emu flora. 1 wenty of 
these photographs were taken in the Botanic Gardens and Forests 
of Singapore and Penang, and the rest in the Botanic Gardens of 
Buitenzorg. 
GERMAN COLONIAL ENTERPRISE. 
Translation of an extract from the Preface to the first issue of 
the German monthly paper for Tropical Agriculture, “the Tropen 
Pflanzer ’’ 6th year, No. i, January, 1902. 
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