98 



ANALYTICAL CLASS-BOOK OF BOTANY. 



employed in the same way, and from it are wrouglit the 

 most delicate and lovely fahrics imaginable. 



.557. But of all known plants, the New Zealand Flas 

 (Phormium tenax), is the most valuable for the produc- 

 tion of bass-fibre. Compared with our staples it has one 

 third more strength than Hemp, and twice as much as 

 Flax ; and its toughness is only exceeded by that of silk. 

 It is a liliaceous plant with long, narrow leaves, the slen- 

 der fibres of which glisten like silk, and are white as snow. 

 The plant is of easy culture, and thrives in every variety 

 of soil. It flourishes well in the South of France, and 

 similar climates, wintering in the open air. The great 

 difUculty, however, thus far, is that the strength of the 

 fibre is injured by maceration; and no machinery, or 

 even hand-work, can as yet imitate the dexterity of the 

 native women in separating the fibre from the coarser 

 parts. 



558. The Nettle worts are generally distinguished by 

 very long and fine bass-fibres ; and the German name for 

 muslin, nessel tuch {Nettle cloth), as Schleiden tells us, 

 denotes the source from whence its materials were origi- 

 nally obtained. The bass-fibres are remarkably different 

 from those of cotton and wool, and have the nearest re- 

 semblance to silk. If any doubt is entertained in regard 

 to the adulteration of either silk, woollen, or linen, by a 

 mixture of cotton, an appeal to the lens will at once set- 

 tle the question, which any one may see for himself, by 

 examination of the figures 10, 11, 12, and 13, which 

 represent respectively, fibres of linen, silk, wool, and cot- 

 ton. From the Manilla Hemp, Musa textilis, the most 

 exquisite textile fabrics are wrought, and the elegant 

 Manilla hats are also manufactured. The well-known 

 Broom-corn consists of the flowering branches, or panicle 

 of the Sorghum Saccharum, an East Indian plant of the 

 Grass tribe, but universally cultivated for the manufac- 

 ture of brooms. 



559. Uses op the Leaf — From some species of 

 Palm leaves a great variety of articles are wrought. 

 They are employed for thatching houses, for umbrellas, 

 and to make baskets, hats, and for many other purposes. 

 The leaves of the Papaw are used instead of soap to 

 wash linen. Tea, which has become an article of prime 

 necessity, consists of the dried leaves of Thea, a shrub 

 of China. It is of two species, Thea viridis, Green-tea, 

 and Thea bohea, Black-tea. The Paraguay tea, which, 

 to the Central and South American, is an equal favorite 

 with the Chinese beverage, consists of the dried leaves 

 of a species of Holly. Henna, which is so much used by 

 the oriental ladies for the purpose of staining their nails 

 and eyelids, is a paste formed of the pounded leaves of 



the Lawsonia alba. The drug known in medicine as 

 Senna, is composed of the dried leaves of several species 

 of Cassia ; and a tolerable substitute is also aiforded by 

 a native species, the Cassia Marilandica. Woad, a blue 

 dye, which is now mostly superseded by Indigo, is a pro- 

 duct of the leaves of Isatis tinotoria, a cruciferous plant 

 that grows wild in France, and on the coast of the Baltic. 



560. Uses of the Flower. — The drug known in 

 commerce as Safflower, consists of the dried flowers 

 of Carthamus tinctoria. It affords a beautiful red dye, 

 and is also the basis of the finest pigments known as 

 rouge. This is the species cultivated among us as Saf- 

 fron. It is also used in Medicine. The true SaiFron 

 consists of the dried pistils of the Crocus sativus, which 

 is also used both for dyes and medicine. Capers are the 

 unexpanded flower-buds of the Caper bush, a low shrub 

 growing in the clefts of rocks in Southern Europe, pre- 

 pared for the table by pickling. From the volatile oils 

 which they contain, the flowers of many species enter 

 largely into the manufacture of Perfumes and Essences ; 

 and others, preserved in sugar, form conserves, which are 

 used in Medicine. The Clove of commerce is the unex- 

 panded flower-bud of a species of Caryophyllus, growing 

 only in the small cluster of the Molucca Isles. The tree 

 resembles a Laurel ; it belongs to the Myrtle tribe, and 

 it is said that no verdure is ever seen under it. 



USES OF THE FRUIT. 



561. The uses of fruits, generally speaking, being 

 well understood and appreciated, require little explana- 

 tion. They are, for the most part, considered articles of 

 luxury, and enter far too little into the common food of 

 the civilized world. Coffee is the berry of Coflfea, a 

 small tree, naturally growing from 16 to 20 feet high, 

 but dwarfed in cultivation, for the convenience of gather- 

 ing the fruit, to about 8 feet. Its very fragrant white 

 flowers grow in clusters, and its leaves are of a shining 

 light green. It is a native of Arabia ; and the best kind 

 is still considered to be that from Mocha, in Arabia- 

 Felix. The fruit of the Olive yields the oil which is 

 known by its name ; and in the green state is pickled. 

 The Chocolate of commerce is prepared from the fruit of 

 the Cacao tree, a native of tropical America; and the 

 pulp outside of the nut, in the Sapindus, a tree of South 

 America, is used for soap, in washing linen. 



562. Fruits used as Bread. — The principal of these 

 are the Bread-Frult and Cocoanut, natives of the Polyne- 

 sian Islands; and with them the Plantain and Banana may 

 properly be classed. There are 50 varieties of the Bread- 

 fruit trep, the most import3,nt of which are the Artocar- 



