The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-05-18
The Lily Family.

THE order Of Lilyworts is large, en-
bracing somewhere near 1900 different
species, the greater part of which are ma
tives of temperate climates. 1t includes
many of the most beautiful eXotics in our
gardens and greenhouses. The gaudy
Tulips which decorate our borders in
spring time, the stately Crown Imperial,
the various hued Day-Lilies, the sweet
Lily of the Valley, the Aloes, the Tube
rose, the Hyacinth, the Yucca, and the
Star of Bethlehem, are all members of the
lovely tribe. And so, too, are the Aspara-
gus, the Onion, the Garlic, the Chive and
the Shallot; the Ii plant, WHICH forms the
main article of the diet of the Sandwich
Islanders, and the great Dragon-Tre
which is the giant of the order, and is
named among the largest Of the forest
trees that tower above their brothers.
Among the useful members of the family
is the Ph01mjum t8nar, or Flax Lily, OF
New Zealand, perennial plant, with
leaves like the Iris, from two to six feet
long, and a tall branching panicle of
hrownish yellow flowers. The fiber of
the leaves is fine, strong and silky, and
was manufactured by the New Zealanders
into cloth and ropes before they ever
learned any arts from the white man. The
fiber has since been imported into Europe
for making Irvine and ropes, but the
plant itself is too delicate to thrive, cx-
cept in the Southern portion of the CONT
nent In its native country it is largely
cultivated.
In Liberia and Kamtschatka the bulbs
Of certain species of the Lily are CLOWN
for use the same as potatoes; and, in Eu-
rope, the young shoots of the PolygOnatUn
(Solomon's SeaD are eaten as a substitute
for asparagus. The Tartars are sai0 to
derive a part of their food from the bulbs of
the DOg'sTooth Violet (Ergttr0njum)
The base of the tender inner leaves of the
Grass-Tree (Hanttorrea) Of Australia is
eaten by the aborigines, and, when roast
ed, forms an agreeable diet. The plants
of this peculiar genus have shrubby stems,
sometimes four feet high and q foot in
diameter, which terminate in tufts OF
long, wiry foliage, from the center of
which rises a dense cylindrical spike of
flowers. The Grass-Trees have a slow
growth, and it is computed that one .spe-
cics, the Ii. hastjlis, requires centuries to
reach its full dimensions.
From the Lilyworts we derive the we'll
known drug called Aloes, which is the
dried juice of various species of Aloe
growing in torrid countries. A species
cultivated at the Cape of Good Hope
yields the largest quantity and the best
quality; yet the drug is obtainable from
several individuals of the genus that grow
in the Barbados. Some of the Aloes are
highly ornamental plants. Their leaves
are thick and large, often attaining the
length of eight feet and more, and are
prolonged into a hard, claw-like point,
one-half or hree-fourhs of on inch in
length. Hedges made of these plants are
impenetrable to cattle. A fiber is obtained
from their long, tough leaves that is serv-
iceable for making ropes, nets, etc. In
Jamaica il is woven into stockings.
Many other Of the Lilyworts are used
in medicine in different parts of the
world, as the order abounds in an acrid or
nauseous principle, and, in some species,
in violent poison. The fetid bulb of the
Crown Imperial secretes deadly juices
and even the honey distilled from its
flowers is said to be emetic The SgufU
maratimsa, so much employed in phar
macy, grows wild in the southern coun-
tries of Europe, and its bulbs not uncom-
monty attain the size of mans head.
The AsphodeI also contains bitter princi-
pie; yet in Apulia, where species covers
the plains with its foliage and flowers, the
sheep find it excellent grazing, and the
swine are ravenously fond of the bulbs.
The sweet-scented Tuberose possesses
the wonderful power of emitting sparks
of fire in sultry evenings. From the fad
ing blossoms the discharge is most ire
quent, and sometimes these dart out scin-
tillations of flame in great abundance
when the atmosphere is laden with cleo
ticity. 1t is in the evening hours that
the Tuberose eXhales most strongly its
delicious fragrance, showing that Nature
is then most actively at work in the mys.
FERROUS laboratory secreted in the heart of
the flower .-Chicago Tribune. ss-.