The Malva Shrub.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 235, 12 May 1874, Page 7

The Malva Shrub.

At the monthly meeting of the National Agricultural Society of Melbourne, the Secretary read the following document : The National Agricultural Society of Victoria having, at their request to the British Consul in California, received a package of the seed of this plant in first-class order and eond it-ion, have much pleasure in offering to their subscribers a portiou of the seed "for planting and report, and they can obtain tho saute from the Secretary on application at their offices, Kirk's Bazaar, at Melbourne. The Malva shrub, is a beautiful evergreen, and is valuable in an industrial sense. It grows equally well in a wet or dry season, on lowlands or hillsides, regardless of climate or special cultivation. It can be produced from seed carelessly strewn, and in five years attains an average height of 30ft, usually surviving eight ycai-3, but the falling seed maintains a perpetual growth, and the tree gives better effects than any other known. Besides enduring the effects of climate the foliage can sustain cattle and sheep, which will leave clover to feed on the largo juicy leaves ; and from experiments it has been iound that cows give more and richer milk from this nutriment. Cattle only browse on the leaves ; which are rapidly replaced. The plant blooms for nine months in the year, and bees work upon the flowers all the time, preferring them to those of others. Tho stem of the shrub, which attains about eighteen inches in diameter, after lying on the ground in the rainy season, becomes partially decayed, and exhibits a mass of line, delicate, and strong fibre capable of being used in the same manner as flax. One acre of these trees, after the first growth, will yield ten times the fibrous material than an acre of flax would, with the advantage that little, or no labour is required. Thus the trees will aid in attracting moisture to parched countries, feed cattle, shcej), and bees, and also produce, at an early date, an article of commercial value in its fibre. After the second year animals may be allowed to feed on them with impunity. They grow witli such exuberance and rapidity that leaves eaten oil' are reproduced in a week, and no animals have been known to gnaw the branches. Where this plant is abundant, it is a fact that fevers and sickness are rare, as it acts in the same manner as the sunflower, which is known to remove malaria. It is of immense value in countries destitute of forests, and which are subjected periodically to destructive drought', like Australia in many parts. The season for sowing is immediately before the winter rains commence, and the plants, when from ten to twelve inches high, ought to be transplanted.