210 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



spread, as it has important medicinal properties much dependent on 

 the crystalline Marrubin, and as the flowers through much of the 

 season afford to bees nectar for a pale excellent honey. The plant 

 accommodates itself readily to any forlorn waste land. 



Matricaria Chamomilla, Linne". 



The annual " Chamomile." Europe, Northern and Middle Asia. 

 A highly useful herb in medicine. In many parts of the European 

 continent it is much more extensively employed than the ordinary 

 perennial Chamomile. The infusion of the flowers has rather a 

 pleasant taste without bitterness. The flowers serve as a tonic, and 

 especially as a sudorific, and possess a peculiar volatile oil. In Norway 

 this plant is grown as far north as lat. 70 22' (Schnebeler). 



Matricaria glabrata, De Candolle. 



The South-African Chamomile. This annual herb is there in 

 renown as an excellent substitute for the European Chamomile (Dr. 

 Pappe). ;.,.; 



Mauritia flexuosa, Linne". 



From Guiana to Peru and Brazil. This noble Palm is known to 

 ascend up to 4,000 feet along the Essequibo. As Palms, like 

 Bamboos, prove to be among the hardier of tropical plants, experi- 

 ments for naturalizing M. vinifera (Martius) might also be instituted. 

 This attains a height of about 150 feet, has leaves sometimes 15 feet 

 in length, and yields from the incised stem a copious sap, which forms 

 a kind of wine by fermentation. 



Maytenus Boaria. (Boaria Molinos, De Candolle; Maytenus CJiilensis, De 

 Candolle.) 



Chili. An evergreen tree, assuming considerable dimensions in the 

 southern provinces. Wood extremely hard. Cattle and sheep browse 

 with predilection on the foliage; hence the trees are cut down, when 

 grasses become scarce through protracted snowfalls or in times of 

 drought (Dr. Philippi). 



Medicago arborea, Linne". 



South-Europe, particularly Greece. This shrubby yellow Lucerne 

 is of value for dairy-farmers, as it -much promotes in cows the yield 

 of milk. This genus includes several other species, valued as pasture- 

 plants besides the present and those noted below. 



Medicago lupulina, Linn. 



The Black Medick. Europe, 'North- Africa and temperate Asia. 

 An annual or biennial pasture-herb, easily grown, and not without 

 nutritive importance. Langethal observes : " It effects for argil- 

 laceous soils, what the White Clover does for sandy moist soils. It 

 will even succeed in moory ground, provided such contains some lime. 

 It suits also particularly for sheep-pastures/' It will thrive, where on 

 account of poor soil lucerne and clover fail. In rich laud its product 

 is very copious. In Norway it will grow to lat. 63 26'. 



