526 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



import of Corn-flour and Maizena into Victoria during 1887 came 

 to 434,575 Ibs., valued at 9,681. Maize-grain will retain its power 

 of germination for two years with certainty. As a fattening 

 saccharine green-fodder, maize is justly and universally in warm 

 countries appreciated. In America much used for ensilage. In 

 Middle Europe the Horse-tooth variety is frequently grown for 

 this purpose, and attains occasionally a height of fully 12 feet, 

 although the seeds do not come to perfection there. Any ergot 

 from it is used, like that of rye, for medicinal purposes. Maize- 

 corn contains about 75 per cent, of starch. Dierbach recommends 

 mellago or treacle from maize instead of that prepared from the 

 roots of Triticum repeiis. L., and the molasses so obtained serves 

 also for culinary uses. Sugar and treacle are now made on a large 

 scale from maize-stems in the manner indicated under Andro- 

 pogon saccharatus. Exposure to extreme and protracted cold- 

 four years in Polaris Bay, Smith Sound, 81 38 ' north latitude 

 did not destroy the vitality of wheat- and maize-grains [B. J. 

 Lynch]. The elongated thread-like styles have come recently into 

 medicinal use. The occasional attacks of particular kinds of rust, 

 smut and blight must be overcome by the same measures, adopted 

 against similar parasitic fuiigs on wheat. TJstilago Maydis (Corda) 

 can in particular become extensively destructive to maize-crops. 



Zelkova acuminata. Planchon. (Planera acuminata, Lindley; P. 

 Japonica, Miquel ; Zelkova Keaki, Savatier and Franchet.) 



The " Keaki " Japan. Considered one of the best timber-trees 

 there ; height up to 160 feet ; stem-diameter to 10 feet [Prof. 

 Luerssenj. Likes calcareous soil. It proved of rapid growth and 

 valuable as a shade-tree also at Melbourne. The wood never cracks, 

 and is hence most extensively used for turnery, also much for fur- 

 niture [Reinl. For out-door work the most valued wood in Japan 

 [Christy . 



Zelkova crenata, Hpach. (Planera Richardi, Hicham.) 



South-Western Asia, ascending to 5,000 feet. In favorable 

 localities a good-sized tree, with qualities resembling those of the 

 elms. Growth of comparative celerity. Resists severe frosts. Its 

 tendency to form straight and tall stems with few and short 

 branches is evident. Attains an age over 200 years ; rate of growth 

 about 2 feet a year. Medwedieff calls this tree the pearl of the 

 Caucasian forests. The propagation is either from seeds or layers 

 or cuttings [H. Scharrer]. The wood is pale-yellowish and streaked, 

 tough and elastic, heavy, hard, n'ne-grained, neither rends nor 

 warps ; also under ground never infested by insects, almost im- 

 perishable. The allied Z. Cretica (Spach) is restricted to South- 

 Europe. 



