FOR VICTORIAN INDUSTRIAL CULTURE. 



127 



itself for field-culture with the greatest vigour on river-banks or 

 when subjected to a judicious system of irrigation, particularly 

 in soil rich in lime. Its deeply penetrating roots render the 

 plant particularly fit for fixing fenced embankments or 

 hindering the washing away of soil subject to occasional 

 inundations. Much iron in the soil or stagnant water are 

 detrimental to Lucerne culture, while friable warm soil pro- 

 motes much its growth. Langethal records instances of 

 Lucerne having yielded on the same field under favourable 

 circumstances for 'fifteen years four or five cuts annually. 

 For sandy tracts a yellow variety (M. media, Pers.) deserves 

 preference. 



Melaleuca parviflora, Lindley. 



Extra-tropic Australia. A tall bush or small tree. One of 

 our most important plants for fixing moving coast-sands. 



Melaleuca trichostachya, Lindley. 



Tropical East Australia. A small tree deserving attention 

 as eligible for saline land, on which it can be raised much 

 more easily than Myoporum insulare. M. Thozet observes 

 that it occurs in places where it is bathed by the tides; also 

 that large saplings without roots can be transplanted. M. 

 Leucadendron, L., the Cajaput-tree of South Asia and 

 Eastern Australia, is also adapted for saline sea-shores, and 

 can be planted in salt swamps for subduing malarian 

 vapours where no Eucalyptus could live. Its bark pro- 

 tects it against conflagrations. M. ericifolia. Smith, of 

 South-East Australia, is the only species known to the writer 

 which will admit of transplantation in a up-grown aged 

 state, and it is also one of the few species which wdll thrive 

 in brackish water. Thus it may be destined to aid with 

 Salicornias, Avicennias, ^giceras, Batis and some other 

 plants to reclaim low muddy shore-lands from sea-floods. 

 M. squarrosa, Smith, of South-East Australia, can also be 

 grown in swamps to subdue miasmata. It attains exception- 

 ally the height of 60 feet with a stem of two feet in 

 dia,meter. 



Melia Azedarach, Linne. 



South Asia, North and also East Australia, and there to far 

 extra-tropical latitudes. As an avenue- tree not without 

 importance, because it will successfully cope with dryness of 

 clime and sterility of soil. It recommends itself also 

 for retaining the foliage till very late in the season, and for 

 producing abundance of fragrant flowers. A black-fruited 

 Melia seems as yet little known. The wood is considered of 

 value for some kinds of musical instruments. 



