18 SELECT PLANTS FOR INDUSTRIAL CULTURE 



Aira csespitosa, Linne. 



Widely dispersed over the globe. A rough fodder-grass, best 

 utilised for laying dry any moist meadows. 



Albizzia basaltica, Bentham. 



Eastern Sub-tropic Australia. A small tree. The wood praised 

 by Mr. P. O'Shanesy for its beautiful reddish colour and silky lustre. 

 Cattle like the foliage. As a genus Pithecolobium differs no more 

 from Albizzia than Vachellia from Acacia or Cathartocarpus from 

 Cassia. The oldest generic name is Zygia, but no species was early 

 described as such. 



Albizzia bigemina, F. v. Mueller. (Pithecolobium &i#emimm,Martius.) 



India, up to Sikkim and Nepal, ascending in Ceylon to 4,000 feet. 

 Available for our forests on account of its peculiar dark and hard 

 wood. Another congener, A. subcoriacea (Pithecolobium sub- 

 coriaceum, Thwaites), from the mountains of India is deserving, 

 with numerous other tall species, of cultivation. 



Albizzia dulcis, F. v. Mueller. (Pithecolobium dulce, Bentham.) 



Mexico. A valuable hedge-plant. The sweet pulp of the pod is 

 wholesome. 



Albizzia Julibrissin, Durazzini. 



From the Caucasus to Japan. A favourite ornamental shade- 

 acacia in South Europe. 



Albizzia latisiliqua, F. v. Mueller. (Lysiloma latisiliqua, Bentham.) 



Tropical America. A large spreading tree ; diameter of trunk to 

 3 feet ; wood excellent for select cabinet-work, excelling, according 

 to Nuttall, the Mahogany in its variable shining tints, which appear 

 like watered satin ; it is white, hard, and close-grained. 



Albizzia Lebbek, Bentham. 



The Siris- Acacia of South and Middle Asia, North Africa. Avail- 

 able as a shade-tree. It produces also a good deal of gum. 



Albizzia lophantha, Benth. (Acacia lophantha, Willdenow.) 



South- West Australia. One of the most rapidly-growing trees for 

 copses and first temporary shelter in exposed localities, but never 

 attaining to the size of a real tree. It produces seeds abundantly, 

 which germinate most easily. For the most desolated places, 

 especially in desert tracts, it is of great importance to create quickly 

 shade, shelter and copious vegetation. Cattle browse on the leaves. 

 The bark contains only about 8 per cent, mimosa-tannin ; but Mr. 

 Hummel found in the dry root about 10 per cent, of saponin, 



