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At the same time the cedar berries are not always poisonous to pigs,—either 
because pigs do not often eat them, or because they do not feed solely upon them. 
I believe that if pigs are not allowed to get too hungry there is not the slightest 
danger to be feared from this tree. At the same time, I admit that it would be 
desirable to make a careful inquiry in regard to this very common tree, under the 
superintendence of a veterinary surgeon. 
The Garden and Field of Adelaide, for September, gives the following, which occurred in South 
Australia:—“A White Cedar tree requiring pruning, the surplus branches were cut off and thrown over 
the fence into a paddock. Several pigs and cows picked off and ate the berries. The result was that 
the pigs died and the cows became very ill, but recovered after three or four days—one effect being a 
falling off in milk in the one day from half a bucket to a cupful. Mr. Bagshaw was at first unable to 
account for the sudden death of his pigs, but on cutting them open found the berries in their stomachs. 
Mr. Hackett states that in some places pulp of the berries of the White Cedar is used for poisoning dogs, 
being mixed with fat for the purpose.”— (Agric. Gaz. N.S.W., Nov., 1893, p. 853.) 
“The fruit has poisonous properties, but is nevertheless used in leprosy and scrofula in India.”— 
( Dymoclc , Materia Medica of Western India.) 
Drury ( Useful Plants of India) quotes Ainslie :—“ The pulp surrounding the seeds is said to be 
poisonous, and, mixed with grease, is reputed to kill dogs.” But Drury adds :—“ This, however, is 
doubtful.” 
Brandis quotes Madden :—“ The bunches of yellow fruit ripen in autumn and remain on the tree 
while it is leafless, untouched by animals, except the bulbul.” Dr. Brandis makes no mention of their 
poisonous properties, which, it may be assumed, were not known to him. 
Lindley ( Vegetable Kingdom) says :—“ The pulp that surrounds the seeds is said to be deleterious, 
but this is denied by Turpin, who asserts that dogs which he has seen eat it experienced no inconvenience, 
and children in Carolina swallow the seeds with impunity.” 
On the other hand, there appears little doubt that, if given in large doses, the bark, leaves, and 
fruits are all toxic, producing narcotism, followed by death. 
Dr. Burton Brown records a case in which a European girl ate the berries, became insensible, and 
died. Descourtilz says that six to eight seeds cause nausea, spasm, and choleraic symptoms, sometimes 
followed by death. — ( Dictionary of the Economic Products of India.) 
Waring ( Pharmacopoeia of India) says :—“ Poisonous properties have been attributed to the fresh 
berries and leaves.” 
In America the dried berries in whiskey have been employed against ascarides, tape-worm, and 
verminous diseases, and the pulp of the berries stewed in lard has been used with success against scald 
head. I cannot trace in any American work a case of poisoning by White Cedar berries. Bentley and 
Trimen ( Medicinal Plants), Gamble ( Manual of Indian Timbers), and Beddome ( Flora Sylvatica for 
Southern India), and the writers of other important works, contain no allusion to their poisonous nature.— 
(Agric. Gaz. N.S.W., Nov., 1893, p. 853.) 
Mr. Thos. Loxton, Lower Portland, writes :—“ Se article in July number of the Gazette, entitled 
< Alleged Poisonous Nature of White Cedar Berries,’ it may interest you to know that the farmers of the 
Hawkesbury River have no doubt at all that the White Cedar berry poisons pigs. I have myself lost the 
best one of three sows this season, and the verdict of my neighbours is that she was poisoned by cedar 
berries, which were lying thick on the ground. She was the greediest feeder of the three, but the other 
two, which were removed at once from the run, showed no symptoms of poisoning. One farmer says that 
the seed forms a hard lump or lumps in the bowels, and thus kills. They do not seem to hurt birds, some 
varieties of which are very fond of them, notably the green pigeon of the Richmond River, which, when 
these berries are ripe, gets so fat and lazy as to be very easily shot.” 
Mr. S. Pegum, Camperdown Farm, Brownlow Hill, Camden, states :—“ Referring to the poisonous 
nature of the berries of the White Cedar, noted in the July number of the Gazette , an instance occurred 
here not long since causing the death of twenty-seven fat pigs. A mob of pigs en route to Sydney, 
having been three days on the road from Upper Burragorang, while waiting to be trucked at 
Camden, were driven into a paddock close to the station, so that they might rest under the shade of 
some White Cedars-growing there. Some of the pigs lay down to rest, else all might have died; others 
