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Cytisus Laburnum. Common Laburnum, 



Clqfs and Order. 



DlADELPHIA DECANDRIA. 



Generic Character. 



Cat. 3-labiatus : |. Legumen bafi attenuatum. 



Specific Characler and Synonyms. 



CYTISUS Laburnum racemis fimplicibus pendulis, foliohs 



ovato-oblongis. Linn. Syft. Veg. p. 666. ed. 14. 



Murr. Ait. Hort. Kew. V. 3. p. 49. 



LABURNUM arbor trifolia anagyridi fimilis. Bauh. hijl. 2. 



LABURNUM. Beane Trefoile. Park. Farad. / >. 43 8 - 



Of the Laburnum, our nurfcries afford two principal va- 

 rieties, the broad and narrow-leav'd ; the latter (which is the 

 one here figured) Mr. Miller was induced to make a fpecies 

 of under the name of alpinum ,• it certainly differs very ma- 

 terially from the broad-leav'd one, yet is moll probably only 

 a feminal variety ; the Laburnum figured in its wild ftate by 

 Profeffor J acq u in, in his Flora Auftriaca, has much broader 

 leaves than ours, no mention is made by him of its being 

 fubjeft to vary. 



Both Miller and H anbury recommend the Laburnum 

 to be cultivated not only as an ornamental but as a timber 

 tree, the wood having a very clofe grain, a good colour, ana 

 bearing a high polifh ; * they urge in its favour, that it is very 

 hardy, a quick grower, and one that will thrive in almott 

 any foil ; the latter fays, it will become a timber tree of more 

 than a yard in girt : whatever fuccefs may attend its cultiva- 

 tion for the more ufeful purpofes, as a hardy, deciduous, 

 ornamental tree, it has long been the pride of our {hrubberies 

 and plantations. 



It bloffoms in May, and is ufually very productive of feeds, 

 by which it may be propagated moft readily. 



Hares and rabbits being fond of its bark, do great damage 

 to plantations of Laburnum, efpecially in fevere weather; 

 remember fomewhere to have read, that thefe animals will not 

 touch a tree if foot has been placed about it ; perhaps, a circle 

 drawn round the bafe of the tree with the new coal tar, whic : 1 

 has a powerful fmell of long duration, might keep off theic 

 noxious animals, 



* Matthiolus long fince noticed the excellence of this wood, and fp e 

 of it as being particularly ufed for making the beft kind of bows : are our & 

 dern Toxopholites acquainted with this circumftance ? 



