36 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



annual return in Britain has proved less. Langethal places it next 

 to Timothy-grass for artificial pastures. Sheep thrive well on it. 

 Sinclair and others have found that this grass, when exclusively com- 

 bined with white clover, will support after the second season five 

 ewes and five lambs on an acre of sandy loam ; but to thrive well it 

 needs land not altogether dry. In all permanent artificial pastures 

 this Alopecurus should form one of the principal ingredients, because 

 it is so lasting and so nutritive, and earlier in the season than 

 most other grasses. Can be grown also with advantage in orchards. 

 It is likewise one of the best grasses for maritime or alluvial tracts 

 of country. In alpine regions it would also prove prolific, and might 

 gradually convert many places there into summer-pastures. It does 

 not altogether dislike shade, is early flowering and likes the presence 

 of lime in the soil. Yield of hay on good soil, according to Dr. 

 Stebler, about 80 cwt. per acre. Schuebeler lauds particularly the 

 variety nigricans. 



Alpinia Gralanga, Willdenow. (Hellenia, Galanga, F. v. Mueller.) 



China. Probably as hardy as the Ginger-plant. Yields a stimu- 

 lating somewhat aromatic medicinal root, more used in olden times 

 than now ; but this is inferior to the Galanga-root of Hellenia 

 onicinarum (Hance) of Southern China. By the dictates of strict 

 priority the generic name of Alpinia should supersede that of 

 Renealmia, as Plumier's and Linne's genus rests entirely on a Central 

 American plant, so that the genus Hellenia may be restored for w hat 

 later writers have mainly called Alpinias. 



Alstonia constricta, F. v. Mueller. 



Warmer parts of East- Australia, particularly in the dry inland- 

 districts. The bark of this small tree is aromatic-bitter, and regarded 

 as valuable in ague, also as a general tonic. It is allied to the Dita- 

 bark of India and North-Eastern Australia, procured from Alstonia 

 scholaris (R. Brown). From its bark a peculiar alkaloid, the 

 Porphyrin of Hesse, and some other chemical principles can be pre- 

 pared. The sap of all Alstonias should be tried for caoutchouc, 

 that of A. plumosa and another species yielding Fiji-rubber 

 [Hooker] . 



Alstrcemeria Ligtu, Linne". 



Chili. Palatable starch can be obtained from the root of this 

 plant, which for its loveliness alone deserves a place in any garden. 

 The tubers of other of the numerous Alstrosmerias can doubtless be 

 practically utilised in a similar manner. 



Alstrcemeria spectabilis. (Bomarea spectabilis, Schenk). 



Brazil. The tuberous roots when roasted are edible [Dr. Theodor 

 Peckolt]. 



