484 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



succulent. Of this family about 350 species are enume- 

 rated, which are widely distributed throughout the tem- 

 perate and tropical regions, and consist either of lofty hard 

 wooded trees with tough fibrous bark, or of mean weeds. 



Lime or Linden Tree {Tilia europea). This is found wild 

 throughout the whole of Europe and parts of Asia. It is a 

 bushy-headed tree, averaging, but often much exceeding, 40 

 or 50 feet in height. The wood is light and white, and is 

 much esteemed by carvers, musical instrument makers, and 

 others. The fibre of its bark is also extensively used for 

 making garden mats, which are imported into this country 

 from Eussia in vast quantities. When in flower the Lime 

 trees are odoriferous, and much frequented by bees. Two 

 species, natives of North America, and the beautiful T. alba^ 

 a native of the east of Europe, are grown in this country. 



Jute (^Cordionis capsularis). A weedy plant, found wild 

 throughout India and other parts, and extensively cultivated 

 for its fibre. It is an annual, and under cultivation has a 

 slender stem, attaining the height of 8 or 10 feet, having 

 simple jagged leaves, and small yellow flowers. It is exten- 

 sively iised in the East for making what are called Gunny 

 bags, for the export of sugar, coffee, rice, &c., and vast 

 quantities of it are conveyed to America as well as to this 

 country, where it enters largely into the manufacture of 

 carpets and other goods, even of the finest quality. The 

 fibre being liable to spontaneous combustion, it has been the 

 cause of disastrous fires, both in ships and warehouses. 



Jews Mallow (Corclm^us olitorius). This is a species 

 similar to the last, and widely distributed over the same 

 regions. Its fibre is used as jute ; it is cultivated in many 

 parts, especially Egypt and Syria, for its young shoots which 

 are eaten as a vegetable, and as it is used by the Jews, the 

 name Jews Mallow has been given to it. 



One of the largest Indian trees of this family is Brownlowia 

 elafa, growing to a great height in the Chittagong and Pegu 

 forests, and sometimes attaining a diameter of 5 feet. It has 

 entire cordate leaves like the lime, but larger and firmer in 



