The world's inhabitants; or, Mankind, animals, and plants; being a popular account of the races and nations of mankind, past and present, and the animals and plants inhabiting the great continents and (14784932115)

Identifier: worldsinhabitant00bett (find matches)
Title: The world's inhabitants; or, Mankind, animals, and plants; being a popular account of the races and nations of mankind, past and present, and the animals and plants inhabiting the great continents and principal islands
Year: 1888 (1880s)
Authors: Bettany, G. T. (George Thomas), 1850-1891
Subjects: Civilization Culture
Publisher: London Ward, Lock
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto



Text Appearing Before Image:
SO ta 20 30 fi AFRICA. (The numbers on the Map indicate some of the habitats of the various plants.) Sahara really belongs to the Mediterranean or Southern European region,and is characterised by similar plants—the Olive, Orange, Laurel, Fig,Myrtle, Aloe, Oleander. Yet there is a decided infusion of tropical vege-tation ; and especially in the oases of the Sahara tropical plants pre- AFRICAN PLANTS. 699
Text Appearing After Image:
-g^S-t dominate. In Algeria the growth of Haifa and Esparto Grasses formaking paper, and of the Dwarf Palm, are important sources of revenue.The AustralianEucalyptusGlobulus hasbeen introducedand acclimatis-ed with greatsuccess. Thereare large forestsof Oak, Cedar,and Pine inAlgeria. The oppo-site extremityof Africa is no-table especiallyfor its Heaths(39), of whichseveral hundredspecies areknown. Inmany parts they form exensive woods, some reaching over 12 feet in height, andbeing covered with beautiful flowers during a large part of the year. TheLilies, Amaryllises, Orchids, and Pelargoniums (41) of the Cape are alsowell known, and carpet the ground with showy flowers in Septemberand October. Wheat is largely produced in Cape Colony; the Vine,introduced two centuries ago, yields beautiful grapes from which goodwine is made, in the south-west ; and sub-tropical andEuropean fruits flourish.In the deserts north of theCape, plants of a dry typewith succulent stems andleathery skins, pro