The polar and tropical worlds - a description of man and nature in the polar and equatorial regions of the globe (1874) (14775705174)

Identifier: polartropicalwor00hartuoft (find matches)
Title: The polar and tropical worlds : a description of man and nature in the polar and equatorial regions of the globe
Year: 1874 (1870s)
Authors: Hartwig, G. (Georg), 1813-1880 Guernsey, Alfred Hudson, 1824-1902
Subjects: Arctic peoples Natural history Antarctica Arctic regions Tropics
Publisher: Guelph, Ont. : J.W. Lyon
Contributing Library: Gerstein - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN



Text Appearing Before Image:
atics, piiiieuto has derived its popular name of allspice, aad, from its beingcheaper than black pepper, its consumption is very great. Though but a lowly root, Ginger almost vies in commercial importance with thearomatic rind of the cinnamon-laurel, or the pungent fruit of the nutmeg-myrtle.The plant which produces this valuable condiment belongs to the tropical fon)ily ofthe Scitaminojt;, or spicc-lilies, whicli also reckons among its members the Cardomumand the Curcuma. Its jointed tubers creep and increase under ground, and fromeach of them springs up an annual stem about two feet and a half high, with narrowand lanceolate leaves. The flowering stalk rises directly from the root, ending in anoblong, scaly spike; from each of these scales a single white and blue flower is pro-duced. Ginger is imported into this country, under the form of dried roots and asa preserve. Wo receive it both from the East and West Indies, but that from thelatter is much superior in quality to the former.
Text Appearing After Image:
THE KOBBER CHAB—MALAY ARCHIPELAGO.—See page 631. I TROPICAL INSECTS. 581 ANIMALS OF THE TROPICAL WORLD. CHAPTER VIII. INSECTS. Multitude of Tropical Insects—Beetles—Dragon Flies—Leaf Moths—The Leaf Butterfly—Fire Flies—Insect Plagues: Mosquitoes—Chigoes, or Jiggers—The Filaria Medinensis—The Bete Kouge—Ticks—Land-Leeches—The Tsetse Fly—The Tsalt-Salya Locusts-Cockroaches—Enemies of the Cockroach.— Useful Insects: The Silk-Worm—The CochinealInsect—The Gum-Lac Insect—Edible and Ornamental Beetles. HAVING thus passed in rapid survey over the characteristic forms of the Vege-table World of the Tropics, we now proceed to the Animal Kingdom, com-mencing with Insects, and proceeding to Reptiles, Birds and Beasts. On advancing from the temperate regions to the pole, we find that insect lifegradually diminishes in the same ratio as vegetable life declines. The reverse takesplace on advancing towards the equator; for, as the sun rises more and more to the