in Extra-Tropical Countries* 395 



Viburnum Tinus, 



The Lauristine. Countries around the Mediterranean Sea. 

 An evergreen shrub, one of the earliest flowering of the season; 

 well adapted for ornamental hedges. Hardy in the south of Eng- 

 land. An excellent plant as a standard of comparison for floral 

 calendars. 



Vicia Cracca, Linn. 



Europe, North-Africa, Northern and Middle Asia, North- America; 

 in Norway it extends to lat. 71 10'. Perennial. Recommendable for 

 naturalization as a fodder-plant in sylvan and sub-alpine lands. It 

 yields in shade a return three times larger than in open places 

 (Langethal). Lauded as most nourishing to cattle by Dr. Plot of 

 Staffordshire. The cognate V. Cassubica and V. biennis, Liune, 

 serve also for field-culture. 



Vicia Brvilia, Willdenow. (Ervum Ervilia, L. ) 



South-Europe, North-Africa, South-Western Asia. An annual. 

 herb, praised as a valuable fodder-plant particularly fit for dry cal- 

 careous soil. Cultivated already at Troja (Virchow, Wittmack). 



Vicia Paba, Linne. 



The Straight Bean, called also Common Field-Bean. Orient, 

 particularly on the Caspian Sea. Professor Schuebeler found it to 

 bear seeds still in lat. 67 17'. Was cultivated already at Troja 

 (Virchow, Wittmack). This productive annual herb not only affords 

 its seeds for table-use, as Broad-Bean and Windsor-Bean, but pro- 

 vides also a particularly fattening stable-food, in its common form 

 the Horse-Bean. The seeds contain about 33 per cent, starch. V. 

 Narbonensis, L., from South-Europe and South- Western Asia, is prefer- 

 able for the table, because its seeds contain less bitter principle, 

 though they are smaller. They will retain their vitality for six years 

 or more. 



Vicia peregrina, Linn4. 



South-Europe. Annual. In Italy preferred to the ordinary Tare 

 for sandy soil; recommends itself also for its close growth. 



Vicia sativa, Linn4.* (V. anyustifolia, Roth.) 



The ordinary Vetch or Tare. Europe, North- Africa, Western and 

 Northern Asia, extending to Japan. According to Professor Schue- 

 beler it will grow in Norway to lat. 70; it perfected its seeds there 

 still in 63 26'. One of the best fodder-plants, but only of one 

 or two years' duration. Praised particularly for dairy-cattle by Gr. 

 Don. This plant according to Middleton has yielded as large a crop 

 as 12 tons on an acre, cut green. Horses thrive remarkably on it. 

 Important also for green manure and as a companion of clovers. The 

 allied V. cordata, Wulfen, and V. globosa, Retzius, are similarly 

 cultivated in Italy (Laugethal). Many of the other European and 

 Asiatic species of Vicia are deserving of our attention. 



