FOR VICTORIAN INDUSTRIAL CULTURE. 231 



Spartium junceum, Linne. 



Countries around the Mediterranean Sea. The flowers of this 

 bush provide a yellow dye. A textile fibre can be separated 

 from the branches. 



Spergula arvensis, Linne. 



All Europe, North Africa, West Asia. This annual herb, 

 though easily becoming a troublesome weed, is here men- 

 tioned for the desirable completeness of this enumeration. 

 The tall variety with large seeds (S. maxima, Weihe), can be 

 chosen with advantage for the commencement of tillage on 

 any sandy soil, too poor for barley. It takes up the land 

 only for about two months, if grown for green-fodder, and 

 increases much the yield of milk. It serves also for ad- 

 mixture to hay (Langethal). 



Spigelia Marylandica, Linne. 



North America, north to Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. A 

 perennial handsome herb, requiring as a vermifuge cautious 

 administration. S. anthelmia (L.) is an annual plant of 

 tropical America and possesses similar medicinal properties, 

 in which probably other species likewise share. 



Spilanthes oleracea, N. Jacquin. 



The Para-Cress. South America. An annual herb of 

 considerable pungency, used as a medicinal salad. 



Spinacia oleracea, Linne. 



Siberia. The ordinary Spinage. An agreeable culinary 

 annual of rapid growth. It is of a mild aperient property. 

 Two varieties are distinguished, the Summer and the Winter 

 Spinage, the former less inclined to run into seed but also 

 less hardy. 



Spinacia tetrandra, Stev. 



Caucasus. Also annual and unisexual like the preceding 

 plant, with which it has equal value, though it is less known ^ 



Spinifex hirsutus, La Billardiere. 



On the whole coast of extra-tropical Australia. Highly 

 valuable for binding coast-sand with its long creeping roots. 



Spinifex longifolius, R Brown. 



On the tropical and western extra-tropical coast of Aus- 

 tralia. Available like the former. 



Spinifex squarrosus, Linne. 



India. Useful, like the two preceding plants. Tennent 

 remarks, that the radiating heads become detached when the 

 seed is matured, and are carried by the wind along the sand, 

 over the surface of which they are impelled by their elastic 

 spines, dropping their seeds as they roll along. The heads 



