136 SELECT PLANTS FOR INDUSTRIAL CULTURE 



Wood heavy and durable, well adapted for posts, beams, girders, 

 rafters, joists, &c., but not for flooring. One of the few Chilian 

 trees with deciduous foliage (Dr. Philippi). Its value, as compared 

 to that of the European Beech, should in forest plantations be 

 tested. 



Fagus procera, Poeppig. 



Another deciduous Beech of Chili, where it passes by the names of 

 Reule or Rauli. Of still more colossal size than the Roble. Wood 

 fissile, well adapted for staves ; it is finer in grain than that of 

 F. obliqua, and much used for furniture (Dr. Philippi). 



Fagus silvatica, Linn6. 



The deciduous Beech of Britain, of most other parts of Europe and 

 extra-tropical Asia. The trunk has been measured in height 118 

 feet, the head 350 feet in diameter ; the wood is hard, extensively 

 used by joiners and ship-builders and the manufacturers of various 

 implements, especially for planes, shoe-lasts, keys and cogs of 

 machinery, lathe-chucks, gun-stocks, staves, chairs, spoke-shaves, in 

 piano manufacture, for bridges, some portion of the work of organ- 

 builders, enters also into the construction of harmoniums (beds of 

 notes, pallets, rest-planks), also for carved moulds and for wooden 

 letters in large prints; it is of rather difficult cleavage, great compact- 

 ness and considerable strength, and resists great pressure. Beech-tar 

 contains a considerable proportion of paraffine ; the ash from any 

 portion of this treee is rich in phosphate of lime. For trimming 

 into copse-hedges, many give, for show, preference to a purple-leaved 

 variety. An allied Beech, Fagus Sieboldii, End!., occurs in Japan. 

 All these could in the warmer temperate zones be grown to advan- 

 tage only in springy mountain forests. 



Fatsia papyrifera, Bentham. (Aralia papyrifera, Hooker.) 



Island of Formosa. The Rice-Paper Plant, hardy in the lowlands 

 of Victoria, and of scenic effect in garden plantations ; the pith 

 furnishes the material for the so-called rice-paper, and for solah- 

 hats. 



Ferula galbaniflua, Boissier. 



Persia ; on mountains 4,000 to 8,000 feet high. This tall perennial 

 herb might be transferred to Alpine regions, for obtaining locally 

 from it the gum-resin galbanum. 



Ferula longifolia, Fischer. 



South Russia. The aromatic long roots furnish a pleasant vegetable 

 (Dr. Rosenthal). 



