186 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



which, in our plantations, are derived from the genera of the Elm, 

 Date, Mulberry, Broussonetia^ and the beautiful species of Ficus 

 which are grown in our gardens and houses as foliage plants/ There 

 are but few American and Asiatic Figs the wood of which is of any 

 utility, as it is generally soft and brittle ; mention is made, however, 

 in India, oi Ficus religiosa^ from which idols are sculptured; in Tahiti, 

 of F, tinctoria Forst., of which some domestic utensils are made ; in 

 Abyssinia, of F, 'panifica^ Miq., employed for the same purpose, the 

 specific name of which is derived from the natives eating the 

 inner bark as bread; in Java, of F, alba Bl. and fulca Eeinw., 

 Madura javonica Bl. and Cudranus amhoinensis of Eumphius, the 

 woods of which are coloured yellow. The Letter or Snake wood of 

 Guyana is attributed to plants of this family. Piratinera guianensis 

 is the best known. The negroes make rice-pestles and canes of it ; 

 and the Galibis their bows and traps (boutous). The spotted kind of 

 commerce comes, it is said, from Brosimum guianense^ a species of the 

 same genus, as well as, very probably, from Ferolia guianensis of 

 AuBLET, which produces the Bois satine, or Ferole, an excellent red 

 essence, streaked with yellow, heavy, compact and susceptible of a 

 fine polish. 



1 Madura and Abelicea are more rarely cul- wax of Sumatra, attributed to Ficus cerifera Bl. 



tivated in the open ground and in our conserva- to Bleekrodea, and to certain SapotacecB, appears 



tories, Borstenia, curious for the varied form to render great service in surgery as a local ag- 



of the receptacle of its inflorescence, Cono- glutinative medicine (Vanhexgel), and also in- 



cepkalus and Artocarpus for the beauty of their ternally as an antidiarrhcetic. This substance 



foliage, and Trcculia africana and an Antiaris. might also be employed for making tapers 



Many useful products have necessarily been (Bleekrode, -4n?i, /Sc, iVa^. ser. 4. iii. 330, t. 11), 



omitted in the enumeration we have just made. Many fossil plants belonging to this family 



Calius ladescens Blanco (p. 164, note 12) has enter into the constitution of certain lands, 



an edible fruit and a milky juice, but it is not Unger {Ghlor. Protog. t. 24-26) has described 



poisonous, for small cattle feed on its leaves Tllmites and Uhniniiim. There are Elms and 



when other forage fails. Friction with the Figs in the tertiary strata (Sap. Ann. Sc. Nat. 



macerated bark is said to cure the bite of veno- ser. 4, xix. 112 ; ser. 5, xviii. 39, etc.). 

 mous snakes. Getah-lahoe, a kind of vegetable 



