338 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



Phoenix reclinata, Jacquiu. 



South- Africa, in the eastern districts. A hardy species, but not 

 tall, often reclining. It is adapted for ornamentation. In warm 

 climes the seeds will grow, just where they dropped. The sweet 

 coating of the fruit is edible [Backhouse]. 



Phoenix silvestris, Boxburgh. 



India, almost on any soil or in any situation, down even to the 

 edge of drift-sand on the coast. It has proved a very hardy species 

 at Melbourne. Its greatest height is about 40 feet. Berries 

 yellowish or reddish, larger than in P. pusilla. Where this palm 

 abounds, much sugar is obtained from it by evaporation of the sap, 

 which flows from incisions into the upper part of the trunk a pro- 

 cess not sacrificing the plant, as for 50 years the sap can thus be 

 withdrawn. This palm-sugar consists almost entirely of cane-sugar. 

 A kind of arrack is obtained by fermentation and distillation of this 

 sap, and also from the young spikes. Each plant furnishes the 

 juice for about 8 Ibs. of date-sugar annually, but in some instances 

 much more. About 50,000 tons of sugar a year are produced in 

 Bengal alone from this and some other palms. The leaves are used 

 for mats. The tree lives in drier regions than other Indian palms, 

 Mr. Fr. Turner fertilized this species with the pollen of P. dacty- 

 lifera ; the result was a much finer fruit. Dr. Trimen distinguishes 

 the closely allied wild Ceylon-species as P. Zeilaiiica. 



Phoenix spinosa, Thonning. 



Tropical Africa, ascending mountain-tracts, thus perhaps hardy 

 in milder extra-tropic regions. Sir John Kirk found, that the green 

 bunches, if immersed in water for half a day, suddenly assume a 

 scarlet hue, when the astringent pulp becomes edible and sweet. 



Phormium tenax, J. E. and G. Forster.* 



The Flax-Lily of New Zealand, where it grows as far south as 

 46 30', and up to an elevation of 4,000 feet, occurring also in the 

 Chatham-Islands and Norfolk-Island, though not on Lord Howe's 

 Island ; it is also found in the Auckland-Islands, nearly 51 south 

 [Schur]. Height to 15 feet [D. Crombie]. It flowered in several 

 places of England in exposed positions, and was not affected by 

 severe frost [Masters] . It perfected seeds even in the most northern 

 of the Orkney-Islands [Traill] and will bear unhurt a temperature 

 of 15 F. ; the tops of the leaves become injured at 9 F. [Gorlie], 

 It is desirable, that this valuable plant should be brought universally 

 under culture, particularly on any inferior spare-ground, along rail- 

 way-lines or on the sea-beaches or any rocky declivities, where it 

 may be left to itself unprotected, as no grazing animal will touch 

 it ; yielding for ever returns ; thriving also well in shade. Can be 

 even grown on ground pervaded by the off-flow of soap -factories. It 

 is evident, that the natural growth will soon be inadequate to the 



