46 SELECT PLANTS FOR INDUSTRIAL CULTURE 



Bassella rubra, Linne. 



From South Asia to Japan. This annual or biennial herb serves 

 as a spinage of pleasant colouration. 



Bassia latifolia, Roxburgh. 



Central-India. The " Mahwa." A tree to 50 feet high, content 

 with dry stony ground ; it will endure a slight frost. The succu- 

 lent corolla affords a never-failing crop of nourishing food to the 

 rural inhabitants. Each tree yields 2 to 3 cwt. ; each hundred- 

 weight yields about three gallons of spirit ; essential oil is also 

 obtainable from the corolla. The flowers are also used for feeding 

 cattle ; they will keep for a long time. The seeds, like those of B. 

 butyracea (Roxb.), yield oil of thick consistence. 



Bassowia solanacea, Bentham. (WitJieringia solanacea, L'Hertier.) 



South America. This perennial herb needs trial culture, on 

 account of its large edible tubers. 



Batis maritima, Linne. 



Central America and northward to Florida, also in the Sandwich 

 Islands. This halorageous shrub can be used to fix tidal sediments 

 for the reclamation of valuable harbour-lands. 



Beesha elegantissima, Hasskarl. 



Java, on mountains about four thousand (4,000) feet high. Very 

 tall and exceedingly slender ; the upper branches pendulous. A 

 hardy species of Bamboo. 



Benincasa cerifera, Savi. 



India. This annual plant produces a large edible gourd, which in 

 an unripe state forms part of the composition of many kinds of 

 currie. 



Berberis Asiatica, Roxburgh. 



Himalaya. One of the best among numerous species with edible 

 berries. Among these may specially be mentioned B. lycium 

 (Royle) and B. aristata (Candolle), which also yield valuable yellow 

 dye-wood (Dr. Rosenthal). 



Berberis buxifolia, Lamarck. 



From Magalhaen's Straits to Chili. This bush, according to Dr. 

 Philippi, is the best among the South American species for berries, 

 which are comparatively large, black, hardly acid, but slightly 

 astringent. In Valdivia and Chiloe they are frequently consumed. 



