24 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



water to which some saltpetre is added. They all afford a highly 

 nutritious nitrogenous food, but some require particular cooking. 

 See also the agaric-like mushrooms noticed under Cantharellus, 

 Coprinus, Cortinarius, Russula. 



Agaricus ostreatus, Jacquin. 



On trunks chiefly of deciduous trees throughout Europe. The 

 delicious oyster-mushroom, renowned from antiquity, hence promi- 

 nently on this occasion mentioned. For fuller information on fungs 

 for the table consult as very accessible works Badhams's "Esculent 

 Funguses of England," and Cooke's " British Fungi"; for systematic 

 characteristics see the works of Fries, Berkeley, Cooke, Saccardo 

 and others. 



Agave Americana, Linne. 



One of the gigantic Aloes of Central America, hardy even in mild 

 places of South-England. In the open air it comes into flower in 

 about ten years or later. The flowering stem may shoot up to the 

 extent of 10 feet in a week, and may finally rise to 40 feet. Mr. 

 Fred. Hickox at Clunes saw the young offshoots producing also small 

 floAver-bunches, while the maternal plant was in bloom. The pithy 

 stem can be utilised for some of the purposes, for which cork is usually 

 employed for instance, to form the bottoms of insect-cases. The 

 honey-sucking birds and bees are very fond of the flowers of this 

 prodigious plant. The leaves of this and some other Agaves, such 

 as A. Mexicana, furnish the strong Pita-fibre, which is adapted 

 for ropes and even for beautiful textile fabrics. The strength of 

 ropes of this fibre is considerably greater than that of hemp-ropes ; 

 they are durable as well in as out of water. The leaves contain 

 saponin. The mellaginous sap, which on incision flows from the 

 young flower-stem, can be converted into an alcoholic liquid, and thus 

 the " Pulque " beverage is prepared. Where space and circumstances 

 admit of it, impenetrable hedges may be raised in the course of some 

 years from Agaves ; particularly recommendable for planting along 

 railway lines as not igniting. Proof against ordinary pasture-animals, 

 so as to need no fences when planted for naturalisation. One kind 

 rose in Fiji also to 38 feet [Thurston]. The infusion of the leaves 

 can be applied as an insecticide. 



Agave heteracantha, Zuccarini. 



Northern Mexico and Texas. The Ixtli-fibre, now extensively used 

 for brushes, is much derived from this species. From Tampico alone 

 have lately been shipped about 35,000 tons of this fibre annually. 

 The average length is 24 inches [Consul Cassard]. The fibre is also 

 worked into ropes and mats [Dr. C. Mohr]. 



Agave inaequidens, K. Koch. 



Mexico. Closely allied to A. Americana ; it seems to include A. 

 Hookeri and A. Fenzliana, Jacobi, according to Baker (in Bot. Mag. 



