Naturalisation in Extra- Tropical Countries. 227 



Helianthus annuus, Linne.* 



The Sun-Flower. Peru. This tall, showy and large-flowered 

 annual is not without industrial importance. As much as fifty 

 bushels of seeds, or rather seed-like fruits, have been obtained from 

 an acre under very favorable circumstances, and as much as fifty 

 gallons of oil can be pressed from such a crop. The latter can be 

 used not only for machinery, but even as one of the best for the 

 table, also for superior toilet-soaps and for painting ; it belongs to 

 the series of drying oils. Otherwise the seeds afford an excellent 

 fodder for fowl ; they are also used for cakes, and afford a substi- 

 tute for coffee according to Professor Keller. The leaves serve for 

 fodder. The large flower-heads are important as yielding much 

 honey. The stalks furnish a good textile fibre, and the blossoms 

 yield a brilliant lasting yellow dye. About six pounds of seed are 

 required for an acre. The plant likes calcareous soil. Important 

 also for quickly raising vegetation around fever-morasses, the 

 absorbing and exhaling power of this plant being very large [Dr. 

 v. Hamm]. A good plant, according to Lacoppidan, will exhale 

 If Ib. of water during a hot day. Several North- American species 

 may deserve rural culture. The return from a Sunflower-field is 

 attained within a few months. In Norway it can be grown to lat. 

 70 41 [Schuebeler] ; yet it will, according to the Rev. H. Kempe, 

 also endure the excessive summer-heat of Central Australia better 

 than any other cultivated herb yet tried there. It answers also 

 cultural purposes quite well in the coast-regions of Queensland 

 [Edgar]. Even when unattended to, will yield in porous soil crops 

 for years. 



Helianthus tuber osus, Linne.* 



Brazil. Sunflower- Artichoke, inappropriately passing under the 

 name " Jerusalem- Artichoke," instead of " Girasol- Artichoke." The 

 wild state, according to Professor Asa Gray, seems to be the North- 

 American H. doronicoides (Lamarck). The tubers are saccharine 

 and serve culinary purposes. As a fodder they increase the milk 

 of cows to an extraordinary degree. The foliage serves well also 

 as fodder. The plant is propagated from the smallest but undivided 

 tubers, placed like potatoes, but at greater distances apart. The 

 root is little susceptible to frost. The plant would be valuable for 

 alpine regions. In Norway it can be grown successfully still at lat. 

 68 24' [Schuebeler]. The yield is as large as that of potatoes, 

 with less labor, and continues from year to year in fairly treated 

 land uninterruptedly and spontaneously. The stem is rich in 

 textile fibre. The percentage of crystalline sugar is largest during 

 the cold season, then 5-6 per cent. During the summer the starch- 

 like inulin prevails. This plant can only be brought to full per- 

 fection in a soil, containing much potash. 



P2 



