42 SELECT PLANTS FOR INDUSTRIAL CULTURE 



recently drained land, though not so well adapted for sandy soil as 

 rye, nor well available for calcareous ground ; resists wet better than 

 other cereals ; best chosen as first crop for inferior land when newly 

 broken up ; middling grassy soil is particularly suited for oats ; in 

 rich ground more prolific for green fodder. It succeeds in rotation 

 after every crop, though variously as regards yield, and best after 

 clover. Extends not quite so far towards polar and alpine regions 

 as barley, on account of the longer time required for its maturation. 

 Varieties with seeds separating spontaneously from the bracts (chaff) 

 are, A. nuda L. and A. Chinensis, Metzger, the Tatarian and 

 Chinese Oats which are the sorts preferentially used for porridge and 

 cakes. Other varieties or closely allied species are : A. orientalis, 

 Schreber, which is very rich in grain, and on account of the rigidity 

 of its stem especially fitted for exposed mountain localities. A. 

 brevis, Roth, the short-grained oats, which suits particularly well 

 for stable-fodder. A. strigosa, Schreber, which deserves preference 

 for sandy soil. The Russian quas beer is made of oats (Lange- 

 thal, Brockhaus). 



Averrhoa Carambola, Linne. 



Continental and Insular India. Sir Jos. Hooker found this small 

 tree on the Upper Indus as far as Lahore. The fruit occurs in a 

 sweet and acid variety ; the former is raw available for the table, 

 the other for preserves. That of A. Bilimbi (Linne) is of similar 

 use, especially for tarts. 



Avicennia officinalis, Linne. 



From the coasts of South Asia to those of South Africa, all Aus- 

 tralia and New Zealand. It is proposed by Dr. Herm. Behr to 

 plant this tree for consolidating muddy tidal shores. 



Azima tetracantha, Lamarck. 



From South India to South Africa. A hedge-bush, growing freely 

 in every kind of soil. 



Baccharis pilularis, Candolle. 



California. This evergreen bush, like B. consanguinea, is grown 

 for hedges, used also for garlands, wrappers of flower-bouquets, and 

 many decorative purposes, as cut branches do not wither for a 

 considerable time. It attains a height of 15 feet (Professor 

 Bolander). 



Backhousia citriodora, F. v. Mueller. 



South Queensland. Though only a small tree it is well worth 

 cultivating for the fragrance of its lemon-scented foliage. 



