212 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



Medicag-o scutellata, J. Bauhin.* 



Countries at and near the Mediterranean Sea, where this annual 

 herb, as well as the allied M. orbicularis (Allioni) is regarded as a 

 valuable fodder-plant (Caruel), without the disadvantage of their 

 fruits adhering to fleeces like those of its prickly-fruited congeners. 

 For this particular reason the author introduced these two plants into 

 Australia, where in the dry hot inland-regions they have surpassed 

 most other fodder-herbs in value and resistance to drought. They will 

 also bear some frost. 



Melaleuca ericifolia, Smith.* 



South-Eastern Australia. This tall shrub or bushy tree is of 

 importance for consolidating muddy shores; it will live in salty 

 ground and water, almost like mangroves. I found it growing 

 vigorously, where the water contained rather more than 2 per cent, 

 chlorides, and the wet soil contained nearly 1J per cent, chlorides (the 

 contents of sea-water being from 3 to 4 per cent, chlorides, or about 

 2J per cent, chloride of natrium). It yields also a comparatively large 

 quantity of cajaput-oil. It admits of easy transplantation, even when 

 full-grown. Myoporum insulare (R. Brown) and Leptospermum 

 lanigerum (Aiton) can in like manner be used in tree-plantations for 

 the sake of shelter on wet saline soil. The branches of M. ericifolia 

 furnish the best native material in South-Eastern Australia for easily 

 worked and lasting garlands. This species can be grown in swamps 

 for hygienic purposes by subduing paludal malaria or fever-provoking 

 effluvia. 



Melaleuca genistifolia, Smith. 



Northern and Eastern Australia. A tree, attaining 40 feet in height, 

 flowering in a shrubby state already, fond of banks of water-courses. 

 The copious flowers, according to Mr. C. French, attract bees to an 

 extraordinary degree. 



Melaleuca Leucadendron, Linn4. 



The Cajaput-tree of India, North- and East- Australia as far extra- 

 tropical as 34 south latitude. This tree attains a height of about 

 80 feet, with a stem reaching 4 feet in diameter,. on tidal ground; it 

 can with great advantage be utilized on such areas and in salt-swamps 

 for subduing malarian vapors, where no Eucalyptus will live. The 

 lamellar bark protects it against conflagrations. The wood is fissile, 

 hard and close-grained, regarded as almost imperishable underground, 

 and resists the attacks of termites. It is well adapted for posts, 

 wharf-piles, ship-building and various artisans' work. The allied 

 Callistemons (C. salignus, D.C., 60 feet high, C. lanceolatus, D.C., 40 

 feet) produce a hard, heavy, close-grained wood, suitable for wheel- 

 wrights' work and implements, proving very durable underground 

 (W. Hill). 



Melaleuca linarifolia, Smith. 



Eastern Australia. A tree attaining finally a considerable height, 

 deserving attention as eligible for wet saline land, on which it can be 



