IN EXTRA-TROPICAL COUNTRIES. 355 



for instance. Maize is converted into a variety of dishes for 

 the daily table, being thus boiled in an immature state as 

 ''green corn." Mixed with other flour it furnishes good 

 bread. For some kinds of cakes it is solely used, also for 

 maizena, macaroni, and polenta. Several varieties exist, the 

 Inca Maize of Peru being remarkable for its gigantic size and 

 large grains. Maize is not readily subject to the ordinary 

 corn diseases, but to prosper it requires fair access to potash 

 and lime. Good writing and printing papers can be prepared 

 from maize straw. Meyen calculated that the return from 

 maize under most favourable circumstances in tropical coun- 

 tries would be eight hundred fold, and under almost any 

 circumstance it is the largest yielder among cereals in warm 

 countries. Mr. Buchanan of Lindenau obtained 150 bushels 

 from an acre in Gippsland flats, colony Victoria. As a fatten- 

 ing saccharine green-fodder, maize is justly appreciated. Any 

 ergot from it is used, like that of rye, for medicinal purposes. 

 Maize corn contains about 75 per cent, of starch. Dierbadti 

 recommends mellago or treacle from maize instead of that 

 prepared from the roots of Triticum repens (L.), and the 

 molasses so obtained serve also culinary uses. Exposure to 

 extreme and protracted cold — ^f our years in Polaris Bay, Smith 

 Sound, 81' 38° north latitude — did not destroy the vitality of 

 wheat and maize grains (R. J, Lynch) . 



Zelkova acuminata, Planchon, {Planera acnmmata, Iiindley; 

 P. Japonica, Miquel.) 



The " KeaM," considered one of the best timber trees of 

 Japan ; proved of rapid growth and valuable as a shade tree 

 at Melbourne. The wood never cracks, and is thus most 

 extensively used for turnery, also much for furniture (Rein.) . 

 Stems occasionally 20 feet in girth. For out-door work the 

 most valued wood in Japan (Christie). 



Zell^ova crenata, Spach. {Planera Richa/rdi, Michaux.) 



South- West Asia, ascending to 5,000 feet. In favourable 

 localities a good-sized tree, with qualities resembling those of 

 the Elms. The allied Z. cretica (Spach) is restricted to South 

 Europe. 



Zingiber officinale, Roscoe. 



The Ginger. India and China. Possibly this plant may be 

 productive also in the warmer temperate zone, and give satis- 

 factory results. The multiplication is effected by division of 

 the root. For candied ginger only the young succulent roots 



