Text-book of structural and physiological botany / by Otto W. Thomé ... and Alfred W. Bennett.

  • Thomé, Otto W. (Otto Wilhelm), 1840-1925.
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Text-book of structural and physiological botany / by Otto W. Thomé ... and Alfred W. Bennett. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

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    hood on the one hand of Siberia and on the other hand of the sea. Among the cultivated crops of this region the most re- markable are the potato, apple, grape-vine [and the cereal grasses]. Of the latter barley extends the farthest to the north, accompanied by the potato. In Europe generally the cereals vary with the geographical latitude; barley in the north, then rye [and oats], and wheat in the southern parts. The apple and grape-vine, on the contrary, are more de- pendent—at least at their northern limits—on direct sun- shine, and in consequence flourish there only in the most sunny localities. Special mention must be made of the turf-forming grasses, and the meadows which they produce, found to the same extent in none of the neighbouring regions; heaths, moors, and alder-fens are also almost peculiar to this region. 3. The Mediterranean Regiofi. The most important peculiarities of the climate which determine the flora of this region are the rainlessness of the summer and the mildness of the winter. While, therefore, in the forest-region the chief development of vegetation takes place in the warmer portion of the year, in the countries which border the Mediterranean, on the contrary, plants grow during the spring, remain stationary during the dry period of summer, and renew their growth under the influ- ence of the autumn rain. This peculiarity shows itself on the mountainous border of the region, and in the neighbour- hood of the Sahara; but is fully developed only on the shores of the Mediterranean. The flora of the elevated plains and mountains indicates an approximation, sometimes to that of the steppes, sometimes to that of the forest-region, sometimes to Alpine and Arctic forms. Agriculture has here this advantage ; that the same plot of ground will produce several crops in one year, but often only by carefully regulated irrigation. The olive is a specially