Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 515 



The lamented Dr. Seemann saw S. dulcis 60 feet high, and describes 

 it as. laden with fruits of agreeable apple-flavour, called " Wi," some 

 attaining over 1 Ib. weight. Matures its fruits copiously in sub- 

 tropic East-Australia, where it is much made into preserves 

 [Edgar]. 



Spondias lutea, Linn6. 



West-Indies, extending to Venezuela, in Jamaica up to an elevation 

 of about 4,000 feet. Fruit at all events available for some farm- 

 animals. 



Spondias mangifera, Willdenow. 



Continental and insular India, ascending the Himalayas to- about 

 5,000 feet. A small tree with deciduous foliage and edible fruit, the 

 latter of the size of a small mango, but of austere taste. 



Sporobolus Virginicus, R. Brown. 



Warmer regions of both hemispheres. A perennial grass, which 

 will luxuriate even in sandy maritime places and keep perfectly 

 green after three or four months' drought. In Jamaica horses 

 become rapidly and astonishingly fat while feeding upon this grass 

 [Jenman]. S. indicus, S. purpurascens (Hamilton) and S. Jacque- 

 monti (Kunth) are also highly spoken of as pasture-grasses in the 

 West-Indian Islands. Dr. Bancroft found one species to luxuriate 

 particularly within tide-marshes of sub-tropic Australia as pasturage. 

 Several other congeners deserve attention, but S. elongatus (Brown), 

 the Ratstail-grass, though a very resisting grass, is rather too hard 

 for fodder-purposes. 



Stachys tuberifera, Naudin. (8. affinis, Bunge.) 



North-China. Illustrated in the "Gardeners' Chronicle " of January, 

 1888. The tubers of this herb are the " Crosnes " of the Parisian 

 markets. They are small, but produced in great numbers. Mr. P. 

 Middleton recommends the tubers as an admixture to salad, as 

 material for pickles and as a companion to radish ; also excellent in 

 a fried state. They are very nourishing and easily digestible. 

 When fresh they contain about 16 per cent, galactan. The roots 

 bearing frost well, can be relied on for fresh vegetable even in an 

 English midwinter. They can be left in the ground even during 

 the coldest weather. The yield of tubers is comparatively large ; 

 as much as 4 tons have been raised from an acre. Can in porous 

 soil remain unattended to for years. Prof. Naudin remarks, that 

 the plant accommodates itself to all sorts of soil. It is the most 

 easily cultivated of all kitchen-vegetables, but difficult to eradicate. 

 Only fit for culture in cold regions. The tubers are planted 9 to 12 

 inches apart, in rows about 2 feet distant. Introduced by Mons. 

 Pailleux, but first attention was drawn to it by Dr. Bretschneider. 



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