186 SELECT PLANTS FOR INDUSTRIAL CULTURE 



Mallotus Philippinensis, J. M. (Eottlera tinctoria, Roxburgh.) 



South Asia and East Australia, in jungle country, extending into 

 New South Wales. A bush or tree attaining, according to Mr. 

 O'Shanesy, a height of 60 feet. Though not of great importance, 

 this plant should not be passed on this occasion, inasmuch as the 

 powdery substance investing the seed capsules constitutes the 

 Kamala, which can be employed not only as an orange dye, but 

 also as an anthelminthic remedy. The Hindoo silk-dyers use it for 

 an orange colour, obtained by boiling the Kamala with carbonate 

 of soda. 



Mangifera Indica, Linne. 



South Asia. An evergreen tree, up to 70 feet high. Possibly the 

 Mango-tree could be made to bear its delicious fruit in the warm 

 and humid forest regions as far south as East Gippsland. In the 

 Himalayas its culture for fruit ascends to 3,500 feet just outside 

 the tropics. 



Manihot Aipi, Pohl.* 



The Sweet Cassava. Tropical South America, but traced as far 

 south as the Parana River. The root is reddish and harmless ; it 

 can therefore be used, without any further preparations than 

 boiling, as a culinary esculent, irrespective of its starch being also 

 available for tapioca. It is a somewhat woody plant, several feet 

 high, and too important to be left altogether unnoticed on this 

 occasion, although we have no evidence that it will prove produc- 

 tive in a temperate clime. The Aipi has ligneous tough fibres, 

 stretching along the axis of the tubers, while generally the roots 

 of the following species are free of this central woody substance. 



Manihot utilissima, 



The Bitter Cassava or Tapioca Plant. Tropical South America. 

 Closely allied to the former, producing varieties withroots of poisonous 

 acridity and with tubers perfectly harmless. The tubers attain a 

 length of 3 feet ; they can be converted into bread or cakes, the 

 volatile poison of the milky sap being destroyed through pressing 

 of the grated root in the first instance, and the remaining acridity 

 is expelled by the heating process. The starch heated in a moist 

 state furnishes the tapioca. Manihot is abundantly cultivated at 

 Caracas, where the singularly uniform temperature throughout the 

 year is only 60 to 70 F. It is a very exhausting crop, and stands 

 thus in need of rich soil and manuring. The propagation is effected 

 by cuttings from the ligneous part of the stem. The soil destined 

 for Cassava must not be wet. In warm countries the tubers are 

 available in about eight months, though they still continue to grow 

 afterwards. The growth of the plant upwards is checked by 



