A STRANGE PLANT.

Ashburton Guardian, Issue 1980, 26 October 1888, Page 2

A STRANGE PLANT.

The Hawke's Bay " Evening News " is responsible for the following : -Home few years ago a gentleman living at Kopua imported a case of plans from India The pots wore packed m dry weeds, whioh were thrown out Ia the process of time the seeds of these weeds grew, aud hive spread so rapidly that the Indian weed, as it is o.Hed, has now reached a'oog the ' railway Vim nearly to Ormondvillo, and also down towards TakupßU m the opposite direction. Tha pigs, sheep, and cattle, after eating it become intoxicated from Ub effects ; t^ey will tumble and roll about m a strange fashion but do not die from it. The butter made from the cream of cowb that have eaten it h»s a peculiar sourish, bitter flavor that does not improve the ealeability. Figs that ent it get tipsy and fat, and it has the effect of causing Ecabs tv break out all over them, which are very difficult to heal. Working bullocks un^er the ir fluance will not pay attention to the whip, and remain for a considerable time ia a semi-somnolent condition, but after that is over they seem to be as well as ever. The Indian hawkers who have seen it growirg know the plant well, and say that it is very poisonous ; nevertheless they oollect it as a medicine, and say that it ia a cure or preventative of hydrophobia and other diseases.