20 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



capabilities of desert-lands; yet it will thrive also even in moist soil 

 and alpine regions, and is essentially a grass for sheep-pastures ; 

 counted by Hein and many others among valuable lawn-grasses. 



Ailantus glandulosa, Linne. 



South-Eastern Asia. A hardy, deciduous tree, reaching 60 feet in 

 height, of rather rapid growth and of very imposing aspect in any 

 landscape. Particularly valuable on account of its leaves, which 

 afford food to a silk-worm (Attacus Cynthia) peculiar to this tree. 

 Wood extremely durable, pale-yellow, of silky lustre when planed, 

 and therefore valued for joiners' work ; it is tougher than that of oak 

 or elm, easily worked, and not liable to split or warp. In Southern 

 Europe this tree is much planted for avenues. Valuable also for 

 reclaiming coast-sands, and U> this end easily propagated by suckers 

 and fragments of roots, according to Professor Sargent. The growth 

 of the tree is quick even in poor soil, but more so in somewhat 

 calcareous bottoms. Thrives on chalk (Vasey). Professor Meehan 

 states, that it checks the spread of the rose-bug, to which the tree is 

 destructive. In Norway hardy to latitude 63 26' N. (Schuebeler), 

 but suffers from frost in youth. 



Aira csespitosa, Linne. 



Widely dispersed over the globe, reaching as indigenous also 

 Australia. A rough fodder-grass, best utilized for laying dry any 

 moist meadows ; affords fair pasturage, if periodically burnt down 

 (J. Stirling). Extends to 71 7' N. in Norway (Schuebeler). 



Albizzia basaltica, Bentham. 



Eastern sub-tropic Australia. A small tree. The wood praised 

 by Mr. P. O'Shanesy for its beautiful reddish color and silky 

 lustre. Cattle like the foliage. As a genus Pithecolobium differs 

 no more from Albizzia than Vachelia from Acacia or Cathartocarpus 

 from Cassia. The oldest generic name is Zygia, but no species was 

 early described under that name. 



Albizzia bigemina, F. v. Mueller. (Pithecolobium bigeminum, Martins.) 



India, up to Sikkim and Nepal, ascending in Ceylon to 4,000 feet. 

 Desirable for Australian forestry on account of its peculiar dark and 

 hard wood. Another congener, A. subcoriacea (Pithecolobium sub- 

 coriaceum, Thwaites), from the mountains of India is deserving of 

 utilitarian cultivation with numerous other tall species. 



Albizzia dulcis, F. v. Mueller. (Pithecolobium duke, Bentham. ) 



Mexico. A valuable hedge-plant. The sweet pulp of the pod is 

 regarded as wholesome. 



Albizzia Julibrissin, Durazzini. 



From the Caucasus to Japan. A favorite ornamental red-flower- 

 ing Shade-Acacia in Southern Europe. Naturally it seeks river- 

 banks. 



