Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 339 



Oncosperma fasciculatum, Thwaites. 



Ceylon. This Palm ascends there to 5,000 feet. The very slender 

 but prickly stem attains a height of 50 feet. Desirable for scenic 

 culture. 



Onobrychis viciifolia, Scopoli. (0. sativa, Lamarck.)* 



The " Sainfoin, Esparsette or Cock's Head " Plant. Southern 

 and Middle Europe, South- Western and Middle Asia. Hardy in 

 Norway to lat. 63 26' [Schuebeler]. A deep-rooting 'perennial 

 fodder-herb, fond of marly soil, and living in dry localities. It 

 prepares dry calcareous soil for cereal culture. Stagnant under- 

 ground-humidity is fatal to this plant. It prospers where Red Clover 

 and Lucerne no longer succeed, and is richer in nutritive constituents 

 than either, as shown already by Sir Humphrey Davy. The yield 

 is at its maximum in the third year; cannot well be cut repeatedly 

 in the season [Dr. Stebler]. Sheep cannot be turned out so well on 

 young Sainfoin-fields as cattle. The hay is superior even to that of 

 Lucerne and Clover. The plant will hold out from five to seven years 

 [Langethal]. It yields much honey for bees. O. montaua (De 

 Candolle) is a dwarfer sub-alpine variety of limestone regions. 0. 

 vicisefolia (Scopoli), is the earliest name for this species. 



Onosma Emodi, Wallich. (Maharanga Emodi, A. de Candolle. ) 



Nepal. The root, like that of the Alkanua tinctoria, produces a 

 red dye. 



Ophiopogon Japonicus, Ker. (Flueggea Japonica, Richard.) 



The mucilaginous tubers can be used for food, a remark which 

 applies to many other as yet disregarded allied plants. 



Opuntia coccinellifera, Miller. 



Mexico and West-Indies. The Cochineal Cactus. On this and 

 O. Tuna, O. Hernandezii and perhaps a few others subsists the 

 Coccus, which affords the costly cochineal-dye. Three gatherings 

 can be effected in the year. About 1,200 tons used to be imported 

 annually into Britain alone, and a good deal to other countries, valued 

 at about 400 per ton. The precious carmin-pigment is prepared 

 from cochineal. Different Cochineal-Opuntias occur in Argentina 

 also. Some species of Opuntia will endure a temperature of 14 F. ; 

 one even advances to 50 north latitude in Canada. Mr. Dickinson 

 observes, that many species are hardy at Port Phillip, growing even 

 in sand, overtopping by 10 feet the Leptospermum laevigatum, and 

 breaking it down by their great weight within a few yards of the sea. 

 Mr. R. Gr. Ely, of Keilor, draws attention to the fodder-value of 

 Opuntias, after freeing them by an easy method of his own from 

 prickles and hairlets. Mr. A. N. Pearson shows a fair proportion of 



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