284 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



Leptospermum lanig-erum, Smith. 



South-Eastern Australia. This tall shrub or small tree can be 

 grown in wet semi-saline soil. It exercises antimalarian influences 

 on such places like Melaleuca ericifolia. The somewhat aromatic 

 leaves of L. scoparium (Forster) were already in Captain Cook's 

 expedition used for an antiscorbutic tea ; hence the name " Tea- 

 tree " for this and some allied plants. 



Lespedeza striata, Hooker and Arnott. 



China and Japan. Sometimes called "Japan-Clover." An 

 annual herb, which in North-America has already proved of great 

 use. Professor Meehan states it to be identical with the " Hoop- 

 Koop " plant, and that it has taken possession of much waste land in 

 the Southern States. It grows there wonderfully on the hot dry 

 soil, and the cattle like it amazingly. Mr. Jackson observes, that it 

 spreads on spaces between forest-trees, covering the soil with a 

 dense permanent herbage. Dr. Carl Mohr says, that it stands 

 drought well, and thrives on sandy clay, but luxuriates on light 

 calcareous soil. Carried far about through the egesta of pasture- 

 animals. Forms a turf, hardly suffering from any traffic. It seizes 

 on all sorts of soil with equal facility ; subdues weeds. Rich in 

 albuminous contents [Prof. Phares]. Easily dried for hay. Has 

 kept up well also in the sub-tropic regions of Eastern Australia 

 during the summer heat ; likes best to grow on moist ground among 

 grasses [J. S. Edgar]. Apt to die down in summer-heat, when 

 most wanted [J. M. Wood]. It is impatient of frost [W. Elliott]. 



Leucadendron argenteum, Brown. 



The Silver-tree of South-Africa is included on this occasion, 

 because it would add to the splendour of our woods, and thrive far 

 better there than in gardens within the warm temperate zone. 

 Moreover, with this tree, many others, equally glorious, might be 

 established in any mild forest-glens as a source of horticultural 

 wealth, were it only to obtain in future years a copious supply of 

 seeds. It is, however, also of some economic value, for the bark is 

 used for tanning, the soft pale wood for fuel, and the leaves are 

 exported to Europe for everlasting bouquets. Mention may be made 

 of the tall magnolia trees of North-America : Magnolia grandiflora 

 (Linne), 100 feet high ; M. umbrella (Lamarck), 40 feet ; M. 

 acuminata (Linne), 80 feet ; M. cordata (Michaux), 50 feet ; M. 

 Fraseri (Walter), 40 feet ; M. macrophylla (Michaux), 40 feet ; 

 M. Yulan (Desfontaines), of China, 50 feet ; M. Campbelli (J. 

 Hooker), of the Himalayas, 150 feet high, with flowers nearly a foot 

 across ; M. sphserocarpa (Roxburgh), also of the Indian highlands, 

 40 feet ; Stenocarpus sinuosus (Endlicher), of East-Australia (the 

 most brilliant of the Proteacese), the crimson and scarlet Ratas of 

 New Zealand, Metrosideros florida (Smith), M. lucida (Menzies), 

 M. robusta (Cunningham), 80 feet high ; M. tomentosa (Cunn,), 



