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79
CIIAPSKK XIIJ. ECONOMIC PLANTS OF DIFFERENT USES.
This Chapter includes useful plants for the mankind with
different economic purposes, except those used as food.
294. Morns alba, L., Mulberry tree, Jap. Kuwa ; a
deciduous tree of the order Urticaceae. The male and female
flowers are produced on separate plants. It reaches to the height
20-30 fts. when growing wild, but when cultivated it is cut down
to a certain height for the purpose to gather the leaves easily.
spring the flowers appear before the leaves. The leaves are of
many different shapes, being produced from the two typical forms
of entire and dentate edges. These leaves are necessary food for
silk-worms. In summer the purplish red fruits ripen, and they
are eatable with an agreeable subacid taste. The young leaves are
used to make a kind of tea, and the bark-fibres are used for the
preparation of paper.
295. Quercus serrata, 77*., Jap. Kumigi ; a deciduous
tree of the order Amentaceae growing wild on mountainous
regions, but much cultivated for fuel. It grows about 10 fts.
high. In early summer it produces male and female flowers
separately on the same plant, and in autumn it produces acorns
of the size of a thumb. The leaves are used to feed several
worms producing silk. Other quercus species allied to this are
used for the same purposes.
296. Equisetum hiemale, Z., Jap. Tokusa / an
evergreen herb of the order Equisetaceae, growing
In
wild or in
gardens. The stalk is hollow and tabular with many joints,
being abour 2 fts. high. As it is hard and it rough, is used for
various articles as wood and horn. The h'owers are
polishing
produced at the top of the stalk, resembling those of Equisetum
arvense, L. The quality of the stalks for polishing purpose
differs according to the place where produced. Those produced
from the village Waka-mori of the district Funai in the province
Tamba are most famous for their good quality.