306 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



Melica sarmentosa, Nees. 



Brazil and La Plata-States. A tall grass, climbing to a height of 

 12 feet in forests and on river-banks. Professor Hieronymus speaks 

 of M. aurantiaca (Desrousseaux), M. laxiflora (Cavanilles), M. 

 macra (Nees), M. papilionacea (Linne), M. rigida and M. violacea 

 (Cavanilles) as perennial pampas-grasses, which though hard, are 

 nutritious, and particularly sought by asses and mules. 



Melicocca bijuga, Linne. 



The Jenip. Central America, on mountains. Cultivated in 

 Jamaica up to about 3,000 feet [W. Fawcett]. So many sapinda- 

 ceous trees of the Cupania-series have been shown by my own 

 experiments to be hardy in a climate like that of Victoria, that this 

 important member of the series could now also be admitted into this 

 list. The pulp of the fruit is of a grape-taste ; the seeds can be 

 used like sweet chestnuts. 



Melilotus albus, Desrousseaux. 



The Cabul- or Bokhara-clover. Europe, North- Africa, Middle 

 Asia. Indigenous in Norway to lat. 50 16' [Schuebeler], A 

 biennial herb. On account of its fragrance it is of some value as 

 admixture to hay. Pigs devour this herb with avidity [Vasey], so 

 also to some extent sheep and cattle, whose meat may however 

 become flavored by it. It is also a good bee-plant, the white flowers 

 lasting till late in the season. The foliage in a powdered state might 

 be added to snuff to impart the generally desired cumarin-odor. 

 Mr. C. A. Atkin uses as particularly retentive M. parviflorus with 

 the leaves of the Musk-tree (Aster argophyllus) as part of the in- 

 gredients for his scented paper. This latter species is more easily 

 naturalised than any other. Odorous principle : cumarin. The 

 species of Melilotus are regarded by Mr. W. Farrer as among the 

 best for green manuring. 



Melilotus altissimus, Thuillier. (M. officinalis, Desrousseaux.) 



Europe and Middle Asia. In Norway hardy to lat. 70 17'. 

 Biennial or lasting through several years, if prevented from flowering. 

 Contains also Cumarin. Allied species are M. macrorrhizus (Persoon) 

 and M. parviflorus (Desrousseaux). All serve purposes similar to 

 those for which M. albus is employed. Grown on the coast it 

 becomes less odorous. Honey from this and closely allied plants 

 exquisite. Imparts its scent to milk and butter disadvantageously. 



Melilotus CSeruleus, Rivinus. (Trigonella ccerulea, Seringe.) 



South-Europe and North-Africa. Cultivated in Norway to lat. 

 70 22. An annual, very odorous fodder-herb. It forms an in- 

 gredient of the green Swiss cheese, which owes its flavor and colour 

 chiefly to this plant. 



