198 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



exported in vast quantities to the United States, to be used in summer 

 for the sake of coolness, in preference to carpets (Dr. Hance). This 

 rush thus furnishes the raw material for a great manufacturing 

 industry. The dyeing of the mats yellow is effected with the flowers 

 of Sophora Japouica, under addition of alum; green with an acantha- 

 ceous plant, the Lam-yip (Blue Leaf), alum and sulphate of copper 

 (Dr. Hirst). 



Leptospermumlsevigatum, F. v. Mueller.* (Fabricia Icevigata, Gaertner.) 

 The " Sandstay." Sea-shores and sand-deserts of extra-tropical 

 Australia, but not extending to Western Australia. This shrub or 

 small tree is the most effectual of all for arresting the progress of 

 drift-sand in a warm clime. It is most easily raised by simply 

 scattering the seeds on the sand in autumn and covering them loosely 

 with boughs, or better still by spreading lopped-off branches of the 

 shrub itself, bearing ripe seeds, on the sand. 



Leptospermum, lanigerum, Smith. 



South-Eastern Australia. This tall shrub or small tree can be 

 grown in wet semi-saline soil. It exercises antimalarian influences 

 .on such places like Melaleuca ericifolia. 



Lespedeza striata, Hooker and Arnott.* 



China and Japan. Sometimes called "Japan-Clover." An an- 

 nual herb, which in North- America has proved of great use. Pro- 

 fessor Meehan states it to be identical with the "Hoop-Koop" plant, 

 and that it has taken possession of much waste land in the 

 Southern States. It grows there wonderfully on the hot dry soil, 

 and the cattle like it amazingly. Mr. Jackson observes, that it 

 spreads on spaces between forest-trees, covering the soil with a dense 

 permanent herbage. Dr. Carl Mohr says, that it stands drought well, 

 and thrives on sandy clay, but luxuriates on light calcareous soil- 

 It is impatient of frost (W. Elliott). The Department of Agriculture 

 of Washington (in 1878) regards it as rich in albuminous substances 

 as the best clovers. 



Leucadendron argenteum, Brown. 



The Silver- tree of South- Africa is included on this occasion, be- 

 cause it would add to the splendor of our woods, and thrive far better 

 there than in our gardens within the warm temperate zone. More- 

 over, with this tree many others, equally glorious, might be estab- 

 lished in any mild forest-glens as a source of horticultural wealth, 

 were it only to obtain in future years a copious supply of seeds. 

 Mention may be made of the tall Magnolia-trees of North- America: 

 Magnolia grandiflora (Linne), 100 feet high; M. umbrella (Lamarck), 

 40 feet; M. acuminata (Linne), 80 feet; M. cordata (Michaux), 50 

 feet; M. Fraseri (Walter), 40 feet; M. macrophylla (Michaux), 40 

 feet; M. Yulan (Desfontaines), of China, 50 feet; M. Campbelli (J. 

 Hooker), of the Himalayas, 150 feet high, with flowers nearly a foot 

 across; M. sphserocarpa (Roxburgh), also of the Indian highlands, 



