TO THE FLOWER GAEDEX. 103 



into a blooming state. They flourish in a compost of half 

 peat and half loam, with sand added, and used in rather a 

 rough state, the pots being well drained. During their 

 growth they ought not to get at all parched, though, especially 

 in the earlier stages, they suffer injury from any excess of 

 water. When in bloom they are among the prettiest orna- 

 ments of the greenhouse, with their upright spikes of drooping 

 gaily-coloured tubes. They increase by offsets from the 

 bulbs. Lachenalias may be cultivated in a frame, moderately 

 protected against frost in severe weather. There are many 

 species, but few at present in cultivation. 



LACHN^A. [Thymelaceae.] Greenhouse evergreen 

 shrubs. Soil, sandy peat, with one-fourth loam. Propagated 

 by cuttings. 



LADY FERN. See Athyetum. 



LADY'S MANTLE. See Alchemilla. 



LADY'S SLIPPER. See Cypeipedium. 



LADY'S SMOCK. See Cardamine. 



LAGENARIA. Bottle Goued. [Cucurbitacese.] Annual 

 trailing plants, requiring to be raised in heat in the spring, 

 and hardened off previously to their being planted out about 

 the end of May in sheltered places, such as against walls 

 and palings, or on a raised bed in a warm comer of the 

 garden. Rich light soil. Increased by seeds. The curious 

 bottle-shaped fruits are the objects for which they are cul- 

 tivated. 



LAGERSTRCKMIA. [Lythracefe.] A genus of hand- 

 some shrubs, containing some greenhouse species. Soil, peat 

 and loam. Propagated by cuttings of the small half-ripened 

 lateral shoots in sand, under bell-glasses, in heat. L. Indica, 

 stove evergreen shrub, flowers white or rose-coloured, L. 

 speciosa, stove evergreen shrub, flowers rose-coloured. 



LALAGE. [Leguminosae, § Papilionacese.] Handsome 

 greenhouse evergreen shrubs, allied to Platylobium. They 

 should be planted in sandy peat soil, with a fourth of fibrous 

 loam, and are increased by cuttings of the half- ripened 

 young shoots in sand under bell-glasses. L. hovecpfolia, 

 flowers yellow and orange. L, ornata, flowers yellow and 

 purple. 



LAMBERTIA. [Proteacese.J Greenhrouse evergreen 



