24 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



Allium Scorodoprasum, Linn. 



The Sand-Leek. Europe and North-Africa. Resembles in some 

 respects Garlic, in others Shallot. The Scorodoprason of Dioscor- 

 ides according to Fraas seems A. descendens (Linne), indigenous to 

 South-Europe. 



Alnus glutinosa, Gaertner. 



The common Alder. Throughout Europe and extra-tropical Asia; 

 indigenous to 64 10' N. lat. in Norway (Schuebeler). Reaches a 

 height of 90 feet; attaining even in lat. 61 47' a stem-diameter of 

 10 feet. Easily clipped, when young, into hedges; well adapted for 

 river-banks; recommended by Wessely for wet valleys in coast-sand; 

 wood soft and light, turning red, furnishing one of the best charcoals 

 for gunpowder; it is also durable under water, and adapted for turners' 

 and joiners' work; the wood is also well suited for pump-trees and 

 other underground-work, as it will harden almost like stone. The 

 tree is further valuable for the utilization of bog-land. A. incana 

 (Willd.) extends to North- America; it is of smaller size; was found to 

 grow over 60 feet high in lat. 70 of Norway by. Professor Schuebeler. 

 The bark of .several alders is of medicinal value, and a decoction will 

 give to cloth saturated with lye an indelible orange-color (Porcher) ; 

 it contains a peculiar tannic principle to the extent of 36 per cent. 

 (Muspratt). American alder-extract has come into use for tanning; 

 it renders skins particularly firm, mellow and well-colored (Eaton). 

 A. Oregana (Nuttall), of California and Oregon, rises to a height of 

 80 feet; its wood is extensively used for bent-work (Meehan). A. 

 Japonica and A. firma (Siebold and Zuccarini), of Japan, furnish 

 wood there for carvers and turners, and bark for black dye (Dupont). 

 A; rubra (Bongard), the Red or Tag Alder of California and British 

 Columbia, rises to fully 100 feet, and gets finally a- stem-diameter of 

 6 feet. The timber is excellent for piles and bridge-bottoms, also for 

 pumps, and proved exceedingly durable; the wood serves further for 

 carving, turnery, furniture, machinery (Dr. Kellogg). . 



Alnus Nepalensis, D. Don. .^ / 



Himalayas, between 3,000 and 9,000 feet. Reaches a height of 

 60 feet. With another Himalayan alder, A. nitida (Endlicher), it can 

 be grown along streams for the sake of its wood. 



Aloe dichotoma, Linn4 fil. 



Damara and Namaqua-land. This species attains a height of 30 

 feet, and occasionally an expanse of 40 feet. The stem is remarkably 

 smooth, with a girth sometimes of 12 feet. It is a yellow-flowering 

 species. A. Zeyheri is still more gigantic than the foregoing, it at- 

 taining exceptionally a height of 60 feet (Dyer) ; it occurs in Caff- 

 raria and Natal, with a stem 16 feet in circumference at 3 feet from 

 the ground. A. Bainesii and A. Barberse are identical, according to 

 Mr. J. G. Baker. A. speciosa (Baker) rises also to a height of 25 

 feet. All grand scenic plants. 



