in Extra-Tropical Countries. 181 



Hovenia dulcis, Thunberg. 



Himalaya, China, Japan. The pulpy frnit-stalks of this tree are 

 edible. H. inasqualis (De Candolle) and H. acerba (Lindley) are 

 mere varieties of this species. 



Hunrulus lupulus, Linne.* 



The Hop-plant. Temperate zone of Europe, Asia and North- 

 America. Very hardy, being indigenous in Norway to lat. 64 12' 

 and cultivated to lat. 69 40' (Schuebeler). This twining perennial 

 unisexual plant is known to yield enormously on river-banks in rich 

 soil or on fertile slopes, where irrigation can be effected. A pervious, 

 specially alluvial soil, fertile through manure or otherwise, appliances 

 for irrigation natural or artificial, and also shelter against storms are 

 some of the conditions for success in hop-growth, and under such 

 conditions the raising of hops will prove thus far profitable in coun- 

 tries and localities of very different mean-temperature. A dry summer 

 season is favorable to the ripening and gathering of hops. On the 

 Mitchell-River, in Gippsland, 1,500 Ibs. have been obtained from 

 an acre; on the King-River in Victoria even as much as 2,286 Ibs. in 

 one particular year. In Tasmania large crops have been realized for 

 very many years. The plant might be readily naturalized on river- 

 banks and in forest-valleys. The scaly fruit-catkins form the com- 

 mercial hops, whose value largely depends on the minute glandular 

 granules of lupuline. Hops impart their flavor to beer, prevent 

 acetous fermentation, and precipitate albuminous substances from the 

 malt principally by their tannic acid. Hop-pillows are recommended 

 to overcome want of sleep. Many of the substitutes for hops are 

 objectionable or deleterious. The refuse of hops of breweries possess 

 double the value of stable-manure. Great Britain imported in 1884 

 nearly 13,000 tons of hops valued at 1,600,000. Active principles 

 of hop-leaves and fruits : a peculiar volatile and bitter acid substance. 

 The fibre of the stem can be made into cords and paper. The young 

 shoots can be used for food, dressed like asparagus. 



Hydnum coralloides, Scopoli. 



Europe, Asia, North- and South-America. In Cashmere, where it 

 inhabits hollow trunks of Pinus Webbiana, called the Koho-Khur. 

 Common on dead wood in forests in the United States. Cooked, of 

 excellent taste. 



Hydnum imbricatum, 



In pine-forests of Europe. A wholesome mushroom of delicious 

 taste, which we should endeavour to naturalize in any pine-planta- 

 tions. Other recommendable European species are, H. erinaceum 

 (Persoon), H. album (Persoon), H. diversidens (Fries), H. auriscal- 

 pium (Linne), H. subsquamosum (Batsch), H. laevigatum (Swartz), 

 H. violascens (Albertini), H. infundibulum (Swartz), H. fuligineo- 

 album (Schmitz), H. graveolens (Brotero), H. Caput Medusae (Nees), 

 H. hystrix (Fries). These and some other edible fungi are given on 



