206 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



Lycopodium. dendroideum, Michaux. 



North- America. This, with L. lucidulum (Michaux), has become 

 there a great article of trade, being in request for bouquets and 

 wreaths; both plants, after having been dyed of various colors, are 

 used as ornaments in vases (Meehan). These club-mosses are men- 

 tioned here, to draw attention to similar species in other countries. 



Lygeum Spartum, Linne". 



Regions on the Mediterranean Sea. This perennial grass serves 

 much like the ordinary Esparto-Grass, but is inferior to it. 



Lyperia crocea, Ecklon. 



South-Africa. The flowers of this shrub produce a fine orange dye, 

 and are also in use for medicinal purposes. 



Maba geminata, R. Brown. 



One of the Ebony-trees in Queensland. Wood, according to M. 

 Thozet, black towards the centre, bright red towards the bark, close- 

 grained, hard, heavy, elastic and tough. It takes a high polish, and 

 is recommended for veneers. Maba fasciculosa, F. v. M., has the outer 

 wood white and pink. Several other species exist in Queensland, 

 which may perhaps give good substitutes for Ebony-wood. 



Macadamia ternifolia, F. v. Mueller. 



The Nut-tree of sub-tropical Eastern Australia, attaining a height 

 of 60 feet; hardy as far south as Melbourne; in forest- valleys prob- 

 ably of fair celerity of growth; endures slight frost. In favorable 

 localities it bears fruit in seven years. The nuts have the taste of 

 hazels. 



Machilus odoratissima, Nees. 



The "Soom-tree." From the Himalayas to Assam, Cochin-China, 

 Burmah, Java and Sumatra, ascending to the cool elevation of 8,000 

 feet. A tree of considerable size. The Muga- Silkworm feeds on the 

 foliage (Gamble). The leaves are pervaded by an orange-scent 

 (Brandis). 



Madura aurantiaca, Nuttall.* 



The Osage-Orange, or North-American Bow- Wood, or Yellow 

 Wood. Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana. This thorny deciduous shrub 

 or tree can be well trained into hedges. It is unisexual, and will in 

 favorable localities on rich river-banks attain a height of 60 feet, with 

 a stem 2 to 3 feet thick, thus becoming available as a timber-tree. It 

 resists severe frosts. Rate of stem-growth in Nebraska about 1 inch 

 a year circumferentially (Furnas). The saplings furnish stakes for 

 vines, which are very lasting. The elastic wood serves well for bows, 

 buggy-shafts, carriage-poles and similar articles. It is one of the most 

 durable of all North- American woods, also valuable for all purposes, 

 where toughness and durability are required (Dr. C. Mohr). The 

 plant is not readily subject to blight or attacks of insects. It produces 

 from the root a yellow dye. Mrs. Timbrell, at the suggestion of the 



