40 
SELECT PLANTS. 
Acer macrophyllum, Pursh. 
A beautiful shade-tree j delights on banks of streams. The inner 
bark can be utilized for baskets and superior mats ; the wood is a 
substitute for hickory. 
Acer saccharinum, Wang. 
Bears a massive head of foliage on a slender stem. The autumnal 
coloring is superb. In the eastern states of North America the 
Sugar Maple is regarded as the best tree for shade avenues. The 
foliage of A. platanoides assumes in autumn a yellow tint, while 
that of A. rubrum turns red. 
^Egiceras majus, Graertner. 
South Asia, Polynesia, North and East Australia. This spurious 
Mangrove-tree extends far south in New South Wales. It may 
be employed for staying the off- flow of mud by the tide, and for 
thus consolidating shores subject to inundation by sea-floods. 
^Esculus Hippocastanum, L. 
The Horse Chesnut-tree. The wood is free from insects. The 
tree ascends the Himalayas up to 10,000 feet. A variety occurs 
with thornless fruits. 
Agave Americana, L. 
The strength of ropes of this fibre is considerably greater than 
that of hemp ropes, as well in as out of water. The leaves contain 
Saponin. 
Ailantus glandulosa, L. 
Valuable also for reclaiming coast sands. Wood extremely durable. 
Albizzia Julibrissin, Durazzini. 
Prom Persia to Japan. A favorite ornamental Shade- Acacia in 
South Europe. 
Aloe dichotoma, L. fil. 
Damara and Namaqua land. This species attains a height of 30 
feet and expands occasionally with its branches so far, as to give a 
circumference of 40 feet. The stem is remarkably smooth, with a 
girth sometimes of 12 feet. It is a yellow flowering species. A. 
Bainesii (Baker & Dyer) is almost as gigantic as the foregoing. 
Both doubtless yield medical gum-resin like many others. A. 
BarbercB, which is closely related to A. Zeyheri, attains in Caffraria 
a height of 40 feet, with a stem 16 feet in circumference at 3 feet 
from the ground. 
