98 SELECT PLANTS FOR INDUSTRIAL CULTURE 



Cynara Cardunculus, Linne. 



The Cardoon. Mediterranean regions. A perennial herb. The 

 bleached leaf stalks serve as esculents. 



Cynara Scolymus, Linne. 



The Artichoke. South Europe and North Africa. The receptacles 

 and the base of the flower-scales well known as a vegetable. The 

 plant is perennial, and here merely mentioned as entitled to 

 extended culture in grouping this with other stately plants. Several 

 other species are worthy of cultivation. In Italy Artichokes are 

 much grown under olive trees to utilise spare ground. The plant 

 is greatly benefited in cultivation by a dressing with sea-weed or 

 any other manure containing sea-salt (G. "W. Johnson). 



Cynodon Dactylon, Persoon.* 



Widely dispersed over the warmer parts of the globe, thus as 

 indigenous reaching the northern parts of the colony of Victoria ; 

 stretching also into Middle Europe and West England. Passes 

 under the names of Bermuda Grass, Indian Couch or Scutch Grass, 

 Doorva or Bahama Grass. An important grass for covering bare, 

 barren land, or binding drift sand, or keeping together the soil of 

 abrupt declivities, or consolidating earth banks against floods. It 

 is not without value as a pasture grass ; resists extreme drought, 

 and may become of great importance to many desert tracts. The 

 dispersion is best effected by the creeping rooting stems, cut into 

 short pieces ; each of these takes root readily. In arable land this 

 grass, when once established, cannot easily be subdued. The stems 

 and roots are used in Italy for preparing there the Mellago graminis. 

 Roxburgh already declared this grass to be by far the most common 

 and useful of India, particularly in the drier regions ; that it 

 flowers all the year, and that it forms three-fourths of the food of 

 the cows and horses there. Excellent also as a lawn grass. The 

 chemical analysis, made very early in spring, gave the following 

 results: Albumen 1*60, gluten 645, starch 4-00, gum 3'10, sugar 

 3 '60 per cent. (F. v. Mueller and L. Hummel.) 



Cy no sums cristatus, Linne. 



The Crested Dog's-tail Grass. Europe, North Africa, West Asia. 

 A perennial grass, particularly valuable as withstanding drought, 

 the roots penetrating to considerable depth. The stems can also be 

 used for bonnet-plaiting. Though inferior in value for hay, this 

 grass is well adapted for permanent pasture, as it forms dense tufts 

 without suffocating other grasses or fodder herbs. 



Cypenis corymbosus, Rottboell. 



India. This stately perennial species may be chosen to fringe our 

 lakes and ponds. It is extensively used for mats in India. 



