IN EXTEA-TROPICAL COUNTRIES. 121 



kinds of Eucalyptus wood, is very frequently employed for 

 shingles, fence-rails, and ordinary building purposes ; also for 

 fuel. The fresh bark contains about 5 per cent, kino tannin. 



Eucalyptus virgata, Sieber. 



One of the Stringy Bark Trees of South-East Australia, often 

 also designated as Mountain Ash. It attains considerable 

 dimensions, and furnishes a useful timber, employed besides 

 ordinary purposes for the staves of casks (Woolls) . There 

 are still a good many other Eucalypts in various parts of 

 Australia which grow to a large size, but as they are from 

 districts not much settled, the value of their timber and 

 other properties are not yet sufficiently or not at all known. 

 Thus there may be enumerated E. Abergiana, F. v. Mueller, from 

 North Queensland, apparently a very fine tree ; E. Torelliana, 

 F. V. Mueller, mentioned by Mr. Dallachy as the most beautiful 

 Blue Gum-Tree he ever saw j further, E. pellita, F. v. Mueller, 

 closely allied to E. resinifera ; E. spinosa, Schauer ; E. ptycho- 

 carpa, P. v. Mueller ; E, ferruginea, Schauer ; E. tetrodonta, 

 F. V. Mueller ; E. trachyphloia, P. v. Mueller, — all good-sized 

 trees from North-Australia. All notes on the industrial uses of 

 Eucalypts from those who are not exactly acquainted with their 

 scientific names, should be accepted only with great caution, 

 as an inextricable confusion has arisen in the vernacular 

 synonyms, some species being designated by different names 

 in different localities, while sometimes totally distinct species 

 receive the same vernacular appellation. 



Euchlsena luzuriaus, Ascherson.* {Eeeana liixuricms, Durieu.) 

 The Teosinte. Guatemala, up to considerable elevations. Ee- 

 commendable as a fodder grass. A large number of stems 

 spring from the same root, attaining a height of a dozen feet 

 or even more. The leaves grow to lengths of 3 feet, and form 

 a good forage. The young shoots when boiled constitute a 

 fair culinary esculent. Dr. Schweinfurth harvested at Cairo 

 from three seeds in one year about 12,000 grains ! The fruit 

 required ten months to ripen from the time of sowing ; 

 the three seeds furnished ten stalks, each about 18 feet high. 

 The plant, particularly in its young state, is remarkably 

 saccharine. For scenic grovrth this stately grass is also 

 recommendable. Vilmorin estimates one plant sufficient for 

 two head of cattle during 24 hours. Mons. Thozet, at 

 Rockhampton, obtained plants 12 feet high and 12 feet 

 wide in damp alluvial soil, each with 32 main stalks, bearing 

 nearly 100 flower bunches. Buchlana Mexicmia might also 

 be tested. 



