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of frost. Mr. Holtze, a t P o rt Darwin, had the first grand success
with this plant in Australia, seeds from Kew-Gardens having been
placed by the author a t his disposal ; his plants attained a height of
12 feet in little more than a year. Perhaps the plant must be regarded
as strictly tropical, and as then not admissible within the
scope of this work. Still near P o rt Curtis, at the verge of the tropics,
it grows fast and matures seeds ; the trees there already are over
20 feet high [Edgar]. In Ceylon it thrives well up to 3,000 feet
elevation, content with poor dry soil [Dr. Trimen]. Easily reared
from seeds or propagated from cuttings ; the germinating is expedited
by filing the shell of the seeds and placing them in coir ; when
sprouting they should be put into the soil with the germ downward.
In Ceylon the plant has grown as much as 20-30 feet in two years ;
the plants should be placed about 10 feet apart. I t is best to wait
with tapping till the trees are five years old [Keir Leitch],
M a n ih o t u t ih s s im a , Pohl.*
The Bitter Cassava or Tapiooa-Plant. Eastern Brazil. Closely
allied to M. Aipi, producing varieties with roots of poisonous acridity
and with roots perfectly harmless. The tubers attain a length of
3 feet and a weight of 30 lbs. Exceptionally 100 lbs. of Cassava-
roots are obtained from a single stock. They can be converted into
bread or cakes, the volatile poison of the milky sap being removed
through pressing the grated root in first instance, the remaining
acridity being expelled by heat. The starch, heated in a moist state,
furnishes tapioca. Manihot is abundantly cultivated in many places,
thus a t Caraccas, where the singularly uniform temperature throughout
the year is only 60° to 70° F . In Jamaica cultivated np to
4,000 feet [W. Fawcett]. Thrives well even in the vicissitudinous
clime of Central Australia. Both sorts of Cassava are also quite
suited for the snh-tropic country towards Po rt Curtis, where the
severest drought has very little effect on them, good tapioca being
made already iu the district [Ed g ar]. Exceeds in productiveness
even the Sweet Potato. The roots can be left in the ground till
required, and they thus continue to grow. One-fourth of this
substance is starch, which is one of the best for cookery. I t is a
very exhausting crop, and thus stands in need of rich soil and copious
manuring. The propagation is effected by cuttings from the ligneous
part of the stem. The soil, destined for Cassava, must not be wet.
In warm countries the tubers are available in about eight months,
though they still continue to grow afterwards. The growth of the
plant upward is checked by breaking off the tops. The Bitter
Cassava is the more productive of the two. The yellowish tubers
do not become soft by boiling, like Aipi.
M a r a n t a a r u n d in a c e a , Linné.
The True Arroroot-Plant, or more correctly “ Aru-root,” inasmuch
as Aru-Aru is the Brazilian word for flour, according to Martius.-
West-Indies, Florida, Mexico to Brazil. The plant is introduced.
into this list not without hesitation, as it seems to require a tropical
clime to attain perfection. The annual mean temperature of 65° F.
suffices for this plant [Morris]. I t is cultivated up to 3,000 feet in
Jamaica according to Mr. Fawcett. I t furnishes most of the West-
Indian arrowroot-starch, although other species, such as M. nobilis,
M. Allouya and M. ramosissima, are also cultivated for a similar
starch contained iu their tubers. Dr. Porcher observes, th a t it still
flourishes as far north as Florida, producing even in the pine-lands
from 200 to 300 bushels of tubers to the acre. General Sir Jo h n
Lefroy found in Bermuda 100 lbs. of the root to yield 15 to 20 lbs.
starch. M. Indica (Tussac) is merely a variety.
M a r l ie r a g lo m e r a t a , Bentham. [EubacMa glomerata, '
The “ Cambuca ” of sub-tropical Brazil. The fruits attain the size
of apricots, and are locally much used for food [Dr. Rosenthal].
M a r l i e r a t o m e n t o s a , Cambessedes.
Extra-tropical Brazil. The “ Guaparanga.”
of this tall shrub are of the size of cherries.
The sweet berries
M a r r u b iu m v u lg a r e , L’Eoluse.
Middle and South-Europe, Northern Africa, Western Asia. The
“ Horehound.” This tall perennial odorous herb, though in many
countries quite a weed, is here also enumerated for completeness’
sake. Its naturalisation can nowhere he unwelcome, as it does not
unduly spread, as it has important medicinal properties much dependent
on the crystalline Marruhin, and as the flowers through much
of the season aflbrd to bees nectar for a pale excellent honey. The
plant accommodates itself readily to any forlorn waste land. M.
Alyssum (Linné), M. apulum (Tenore) and M. Pannonoium (I’Ecluse)
are also apiarian plants [D. Savastano].
M a t r i c a r i a C h am om illa , Linné.
The annual “ Chamomile.” Europe, Northern and Middle Asia.
A highly useful herb in medicine. In many parts of the European
continent it is much more extensively employed than the ordinary
perennial Chamomile. The infusion of the flowers has rather a
pleasant taste without bitterness. The flowers serve as a tonic, and
especially as a sudoriflc, and possess a peculiar volatile oil. In
Norway this plant is grown as far north as lat 70° 22' [Schuebeler].
In Portugal planted under fruit-trees for insecticidal purposes.
In California M. disooidea (De Candolle) seems to serve similarly
medicinal purposes ; it has quite the pleasant strong scent of M.
Chamomilla.
M a t r i c a r i a g l a b r a t a , De Candolle.
The South-African Chamomile. This annual herb is there in
renown as an excellent substitute for the European Chamomile [Dr.
Pappe]. Several congeners exist there.
tfr .h