) Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



suited for pump-trees and other under-ground work, as it will 

 harden almost like stone. The tree is further valuable for the 

 utilisation of bog-land. A. cordifolia (Tenore) is a closely allied 

 species, indigenous to the countries at and near the Mediterranean 

 Sea' A. incana (Willd.) extends to North-America ; it is of 

 smaller size but was found to grow over 60 feet high in latitude 70 of 

 Norway by Professor Schuebeler. The bark of several alders is 

 of medicinal value, and a decoction will give to cloth saturated 

 with lye an indellible orange-color [Porcher] ; it contains a 

 peculiar tannic principle to the extent of 36 per cent. [Muspratt]. 

 American alder-extract has come into use for tanning ; it renders 

 skins particularly firm, mellow and well-colored [Eaton]. A. 

 Oregana (Nuttall), of California and Oregon, rises to a height of 

 80 feet ; its wood is extensively used for bent-work [Meehan]. A. 

 Japonica and A. firma (Siebold and Zuccarini), of Japan, furnish 

 wood there for carvers and turners, and bark for black dye 

 [Dupont]. A. rubra (Bongard), the Red or Tag- Alder of Cali- 

 fornia and British Columbia, rises to fully 100 feet, and gets finally 

 a stem diameter of 6 feet. The timber is excellent for piles and 

 bridge-bottoms, also for pumps, and proved exceedingly durable ; 

 it serves further for carving, turnery, furniture, machinery 

 [Dr. Kellogg]. 



Alnus Nepalensis, D. Don. 



Himalayas, between 3,000 and 9,000 feet. Reaches a height of 

 60 feet. With another Himalayan alder, A nitida (Endlicher), it 

 can be grown along streams for the sake of its wood. 



Aloe dichotoma, Linne ill. 



Damaras and Namaqua-land. This species attains a height of 

 30 feet, and occasionally an expanse of 40 feet. The stem is 

 remarkably smooth, with a girth sometimes of 12 feet. It is a 

 yellow-flowering species. A. Bainesii is still more gigantic than 

 the foregoing, it attaining exceptionally a height of 60 feet [Dyer] ; 

 it occurs in Caffraria and Natal, with a stem 16 feet in circum- 

 ference at 3 feet from the ground [Rev. R. Baur]. A. Barberse 

 is identical, according to Mr. J. Gr. Baker. A. speciosa (Baker) 

 rises also to a height of 25 feet. All grand scenic plants. 



Aloe ferox, Miller. 



South- Africa. This species yields the best Cape- aloes, as 

 observed by Dr. Pappe. The simply inspissated juice of the leaves 

 of various species constitutes aloe -drug, well known as a 

 drastic purgative. It is best obtained by using neither heat nor 

 pressure for extracting the sap. By re-dissolving the aqueous 

 part of aloes in cold water, and reducing the liquid through boiling 



