162 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



Fceniculum officinale, Allioni. 



The Fennel. Mediterranean regions, particularly on limestone-soil, 

 extending to Central Asia, certainly wild in Turkestan (Dr. A. von 

 Regel). A perennial or biennial herb, of which primary varieties 

 occur, the so-called sweet variety having fruits almost twice as large 

 as the other. The herb and fruits are in use as condiments and the 

 latter also for medicine. The fruits are rich in essential oil, containing 

 much anethol. Vilmorin found them to keep their vitality for about 

 four years ; he also remarks that the bleached leafstalks yield the 

 Carosella-salad. A variety, F. dulce (Bauhin), yields its young 

 shoots for boiling as a vegetable of sweetish taste and delicate 

 aroma. . ,'. 



Fourcroya Cubensis, Haworth. 



West-Indies and continental tropical America. A smaller species 

 than the following, but equally utilized for fibre and impenetrable 

 hedges. F. flavo-viridis (Hooker), from Mexico, is still smaller. 



Fourcroya gigantea, Ventenat. 



Central America. In species of Yucca, Agave, Dracsena, Cordy- 

 line, Phormium, Doryanthes and this as well as a few other Four- 

 croyas we have gigantic liliaceous and amaryllidaceous plants avail- 

 able industrially for fibre. Frost injures the leaves of tliis species. 

 Development of flower-stalks extremely rapid, up to 30 feet high. 

 Fibre often 3 feet long and of considerable tenacity. The fibre, 

 produced in Mauritius by Messrs. Bourgignon and Fronchet, proved 

 stronger than hemp and resisted decay in water. Mr. Boucard also 

 testifies to the excellence of the fibre, which he describes as long, silky 

 and solid, particularly adapted for luxurious hammocks and for 

 cordage. 



Fourcroya longseva, Karwinski and Zuccarini. 



High mountains of Guatemala and Mexico, particularly at an eleva- 

 tion of about 10,000 feet. One of the most gigantic and magnificent 

 of all liliaceous or amaryllideous plants, in volume only surpassed by 

 Draca3na Draco, the Dragon-tree of the Canary-Islands. This is the 

 principal high-stemmed species, the trunk attaining a height of 50 

 feet, and the huge panicle of flowers 40 feet more. It dies, like many 

 allied plants, after flowering. The species is recorded here as a fibre- 

 plant, but should also be cultivated for its ornamental grandeur. 



Fragaria Calif ornica, Chamisso and Schlechtendal. 



California and Mexico. Closely allied to C. vesca. 



Fragaria Chiloensis, Aiton. 



Chili- Strawberry. In various of the colder parts both of North- 

 and South- America. Almost incredible accounts have been published 

 regarding the yield of the Chiloen Strawberry in the neighborhood 

 of Brest, far exceeding the fecundity of any other strawberry. 



