NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



279 



is transported from a warm climate to a colder one, tlie progeny had 

 broken up into many varieties. In one field of 45 acres 29 distinctly 

 different varieties were found and isolated. Every variety bred true to 

 type, and of the 29 only two were found to possess any merit. This 

 showed how the late failures had arisen, and during the last four years 

 the shade-tobacco industry of Connecticut has been established upon a 

 sound and profitable basis. The result of all experience so far seems 

 to be that tobacco can be grown profitably in the Connecticut Valley 

 if the grower will obtain a good strain of seed, sterilize his seed-beds, 

 and attend to various cultural directions which are given in this 

 pamphlet. — M. L. H. 



Togoland, Useful Plants of. Part II. By G. Volkens {Not. 

 Konig. Bol. Berlin, Appendix xxii. pp. 42-64, Nov. 7, 1909; 13 figs.). — 

 Textile fibres. 



Pandanaceae. Pandanus togoensis and P. Kerstingii bear long 

 tough leaves, which are used in making mats. 



Palms. Raphia vinifera yields two kinds of fibres, piassive and bast. 

 The former is dearer and less valuable than the fibre from Liberia. 



Phoenix spinosa bears fruit resembling dates, but smaller. The 

 feathery leaves are dyed and woven into mats. The leaves of Elaeis 

 guineensis are used for roofing huts. The husk of Cocos nucifera is 

 valuable as coir, used for making ships' cables. The fibre is also made 

 into cord, carpets, brushes, and woven into belting for machinery. 



Borassus flahelliformis yields a substitute for piassive, known as 

 bassine. The leaves of Hyphaene togoensis are cut into strips and used 

 in weaving mats, baskets, and hats. 



Gramineae. Zea Mays. The husks of the maize cobs are used for 

 wrapping up fruit, for stuffing cheap mattresses, cushions, saddles, and 

 chairs, and are of increasing value in paper manufacture. The centre 

 of the cobs from which the corn has been separated is used for fodder, 

 for the manufacture of celluloid, and as the material from which a kind 

 of linoleum is prepared. Imperata cylindrica is used for covering huts. 

 Saccharujn officinalis: the canes from which the juice has been 

 extracted are sent to the paper mill. Rhytachne Kerstingii attains a 

 height of 10 feet; the stalks are solid, and are used in making baskets. 

 The empty panicles of Andropogon Sorghum, after the grain has 

 been removed, are sold for besoms. Panicum sanguinale is woven into 

 hats. The straw of Oryza sativa is used in paper manufacture. The 

 ripe stalks of Pennisetum longisetum and P. purpureum are used for 

 thatching. The roots of Aristida Adscensionis are made into brushes in 

 India. The straw from Sporoholus indicus is bleached with the fumes 

 from burning sulphur and woven into hats. The common reed 

 Phragmites vulgaris is made into coarse mats, and is also, used for 

 thatching and covering walls. Oxytenanthera ahyssinica is a valuable 

 bamboo. The stalks of Flagellaria indica are extremely tough, and are 

 used in place of rope. The fibres from the fresh leaves of Ananas sa 

 sativa can probably be spun like cotton or silk. 



