272 BOTANY. 



Lilies proper there are many species from America, 

 Europe, Asia Minor, China, and Japan which have long 

 been in cultivation in gardens. Closely allied to these are 

 the Day-lilies and the stately Crown-imperial, the Hyacinth, 

 now of many forms and colors, and the Tulips, which 

 under cultivation have been made to vary still more. The 

 Amaryllids have given us the Snowdrop and Snowflake, the 

 Daffodils, Jonquils, and the delightfully sweet-scented 

 Tuberose. From the Irids we have many species of Iris, 

 Crocus and Gladiolus, the last from South Africa. The 

 use of the Orchids as ornamental plants has already been 

 referred to ; but while, doubtless, more species of these 

 are grown, they are for the most part confined to special 

 greenhouses and conservatories called orchid-houses, and 

 are not found in common cultivation among the people at 

 large. 



" 516. The rank of the Monocotyledons economically is 

 high. The seeds of the grasses have a copious starchy en- 

 dosperm which has for ages been used as food for man and 

 his domestic animals. Thus wheat, rye, barley, oats, and 

 rice, all natives of the old world, have been in cultivation 

 from time immemorial. Indian Corn, being a native of 

 America, has but recently come under general cultivation. 

 The stems of most grasses are nutritious, and constitute 

 the greater part of the pasturage and fodder for domestic 

 animals. In several of the larger species, as the Sugar- 

 canes, this nutritious matter is so abundant as a sweet 

 juice that they furnish the greater part of the sugar of the 

 world. 



517. The Palms, while of little value to the people of 

 cooler climates, furnish in tropical regions most of the 

 necessaries of life. In some countries every want of man 



