218 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



LAVENDER. 



LAVANDULA. 



LABIATE, DIDYNAMIA GYMNOSPERMIA. 



So named from its use in fomentations and baths. — French, la la- 

 vande : in Provence, aspic ; espic, whence the foreign oil of lavender 

 is usually called oil of spike. — Italian, lavendola; lavanda; spigo. 



The Common Lavender is increased by cuttings, which 

 should be planted in March, and placed in the shade 

 until they have taken root : they may then be exposed to 

 the sun. These plants will live much longer, and endure 

 the most severe cold, if planted in a dry, gravelly soil. 

 They grow faster in summer if the soil be rich and moist; 

 but then they are generally destroyed in the winter, nor 

 are they so strongly scented as those which grow in a 

 barren soil. 



Lavender was formerly used for edgings, as we now 

 use box, thrift, &.c. ; but it grows too high for this pur- 

 pose, and the practice is generally discontinued. The 

 agreeable scent of Lavender is well known, since it is an 

 old and still a common custom to scatter the flowers over 

 linen, as some do rose-leaves, for the sake of this sweet 

 odour : 



" Pure lavender, to lay in bridal gown." 



Lavender-water, too, as it is usually called, although it 

 is really spirit of wine scented with the oil of lavender, is 

 one of our most common perfumes. This plant has been 

 much celebrated for its virtues in nervous disorders, and 

 is an ingredient in some of the English-herb teas now in 

 ;such general use. This species of Lavender is common 



