xii INTRODUCTION. 



cities iu the Temperate Zone has become an important industry 

 in western Asia and Europe ; the Cherry^ which originated near 

 the Caspian Sea ; the Plurn^ a native of northern Persia ; and 

 the Peachy one of the most delicious, if not the most popular, 

 of the fruits of the Temperate Zones, a native of China. 



Sugar Cane is native to Cochin China, and southwestern 

 China ; it is known to have been in use more than two thousand 

 years. 



There are a few textile plants that deserve mention, the most 

 important of which are Flax, Hemp^ and Jute. Flax was cul- 

 tivated near the eastern coast of the Mediterranean four thou- 

 sand years ago. Hemp is of Siberian origin, and is known to 

 have been under cultivation over four thousand years. Jute 

 has been known to commerce less than two thousand years. 



Of the three hundred species of cultivated plants that were 

 found in the New World, the most important food-yielding 

 plants are : the Potato, whose home is believed to be Chile and 

 Peru ; the Sweet Potato, whose home is in the warm regions of 

 North America; Tobacco, originally found in Ecuador and 

 neighboring regions ; Indian corn, one of the most important 

 cereals of the present age ; and the Pineapple, found in Mexico, 

 Central America, Panama, and Colombia. These constitute 

 about one sixth of the important food-plants of the whole world. 



This introduction will give the pupil an idea of the character 

 and magnitude of the study of the Flora of Useful Plants. As 

 a specimen of the plan of description pursued in this book, we 

 give here a brief outline of a few illustrations, beginning with 

 Wheat, which stands at the head of the cereals. After classi- 

 fying it under the order Gramineae and the genus Triticum, the 

 description proceeds as follows : — 



Triticum vulgare, L. (Wheat.) Stem or culm 2 to 5 feet high, tapering 

 from the root to the base of the head or the ear, divided by nodes into several 

 interuodes, or lengths, from 4 to 7 inches long. At each node is a single, 

 clasping, lance-shaped leaf, strongly veined and rough on the upper side. 

 Flowers appear at the top of the culm in a close panicle. 



The grains, or .seeds, are oval in shape, a quarter of an inch in length, flat, 

 and marked on the side next the rachis by a groove the whole length, outside 

 convex. It is an annual, and when planted in early spring, it flowers and 

 fruits the same season ; when thus cultivated it is known as " summer wheat " 

 or " spring wheat." The best wheat is biennial ; it is planted in early autumn. 



