[Grown Copyright Reserved* 



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ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW. 



BULLETIN 



oy 



M JSCELLAN EOUS INFORMATION 



Nos. 1 cV 2 



[1919 



I. -FOOD AND FODDER PLANTS. 



J. 11. Holland. 



The question of food, though always before us, has recently 

 commanded more than ordinary interest because of the failure or 

 uncertainty of many of the sources on which we have been 

 accustomed to rely. It may be scarcely necessary to state that 

 the subject is here treated in the sense that plants yield food 

 for human beings and fodder for animals. The Natural Families 

 first in importance for plants of this nature are Leguminosae, 

 Gramincae, Cruciferae and Rosaceae> the "Pulses," "Cereals/* 

 ' % Vegetables, ' ' and "Fruits" predominating in each Family 

 respectively. These will be considered first, and the remaining 

 Families that come under review are selected as containing 

 important products, as for instance, Solanaceae for potatoes and 

 tomatoes, Chenopodiaceae for sugar beet and mangels, Scita- 

 mineae for the banana, Palmae for the coco-nut, &c. The plants 

 of greater importance are given with the botanical name first 

 followed by the common names, the chief countries of production r 

 brief details as to uses and other notes of interest; others of 

 lesser value or so well known as to need no description are 

 enumerated at the end of their Family with the position of scien- 

 tific and common names reversed. The imports into this 

 country are given in brackets immediately after the country of 

 production, all figures being reduced to the nearest approximate 

 number of centals and unless otherwise stated they refer to the 

 year 1913, quoted from the " Annual Statement of the Trade of 

 the United Kingdom," Vol. i. 1917. The approximate produc- 

 tion of some of the principal crops in the "United Kingdom is 



.» given in figures of the same denomination. Values are not stated 



as they are subject to fluctuation, and current prices are readily 

 obtainable when required from the various official publications 

 and trade journals. No attempt is made to include details of 

 culture nor of diseases, as these subjects could not be properly 

 S dealt with in the space available; moreover, there are many 



valuable publications which treat with these matters; nor are 



If" the important issues of " vitamines " and " calories " taken into 



consideration. Full references to works quoted (under author V 



fl6&) Wt. 196—794. 1,125. 3/19. J. T. & 8., Ltd. G. U. Sch. 12. 



