642 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



LATHYRUS. 



parasitic fungus which eats into the tree 

 and mars its beauty and vigour. Other [ 

 kinds of Larch arc known, and some 

 coming into cuUivation, but it is not 

 always easy to obtain them in a good ' 

 state, and we have yet but httle evidence 

 as to their value. All are worth a trial, 

 though it is probable that none will ever 

 rival the charms of the European Larch. 



L. europaea {European Larch). — A tall 

 and lovely tree with pendent branches 

 emitting a delicate fragrance in the 

 spring when budding. It is a native of 

 the northern and central European Alps, 

 and also the mountains of Northern Asia. 

 The weeping variety is picturescjue, but L. 

 da/iurica is considered to be a form of 

 this, and is likely to be of distinct value 

 for gardens. 



L. Griffithii {Sikkim La}'tii)\s a Hima- 

 layan Larch, attaining in its own country 

 to the height of a stately tree, but often 

 dwarfed into an alpine bush. It bears 

 large cones, and in our country has not 

 yet been proved to be of great value. 



L. Ksempferi {Chinese Golden Inarch). 

 — A beautiful tree of Western China, at- 

 taining in its own country a height of over 

 100 ft. and of good growth and habit in 

 our country, though not so rapid as other 

 species. A choice lawn tree, and also, 

 when it can be got in any quantity in the 



form of healthy seedling plants, as a group 

 in park or woodland. 



L. leptolepis {Japan Inarch). — In its 

 own country this is described as a medium- 

 sized tree resembling our European Larch, 

 to which it is said to Ije inferior, but from 



experience gained by planters this is 

 thought doubtful, as it promises very well 

 indeed as a woodland tree, and is said to 

 escape the Larch fungus canker which is 

 so deadly to the European Larch. 



L. americana ( Tamarack). — A slender 

 tree, in its own country reaching a height 

 of nearly 100 ft., but not thriving so well 

 in England, and not so remarkable for 

 beauty as our European Larch. It grows 

 naturally in low-lying ground or swamps, 

 and has not been fairly tried in our gar- 

 dens, in which such ground does not often 

 occur. Syn., Microcarpa and Peiidtila. 



L. occidentalis ( Western Larch). — Said 

 to be the noblest of all the Larches, from 

 the mountains of North-west America. 

 It is of great height, but as yet little tried 

 in our country, though promising well. 



LASTHENIA.— A pretty hardy an- 

 nual, L. glabrata\i€\\-\'g{xo\VL. 9 in. to \\ ft. 

 high, with many rich orange-yellow blos- 

 soms. It should be sown in autumn or 

 early summer, or in spring for later bloom. 

 Like other annuals, it looks best in broad 

 tufts, but care must be taken that the 

 plants are properly thinned. The autumn- 

 sown plants come in with the Iberis, Wall- 

 flowers, and early Phloxes. L. californica 

 is a variety. California. Compositae. 



Lastrea. Syn., Aspidium a.nd Nephro- 

 diuni. 



LATHYRUS {Everlasting Pea). — 

 Hardy annual and perennial plants, several 

 of them very beautiful for the garden. The 

 perennial kinds of Peas are valuable, as 

 they are of such free growth and last 

 long in bloom. The kinds worth growing 

 are not numerous, yet sufficient to keep 

 up an unbroken display from May till 

 October. They have long fleshy roots, 

 which, when once established, will go on 

 for years without giving further trouble or 

 needing attention. Near a low wall or 

 trellis they succeed admirably, and climb- 

 ing gracefully drape such surfaces with 

 veils of foliage and blossom. Upon 

 banks, raised borders, or on the bold 

 rock-garden few things are prettier, and 

 they never look better than when scram- 

 bling over the face of a rock, flowering as 

 they go. The way to spoil them is to 

 attempt to tie and train them in a stiff or 

 formal way. They may be used with 

 good effect in mixed borders, and they 

 are valuable for cutting from. The best 

 varieties are pretty if allowed to grow 

 through beds of medium-sized shrubs, 

 and there are few effects in gardens 

 prettier than that of the best white 

 varieties when allowed to trail and bloom 

 on a grassy place untrained in any way ; 

 a few tufts so placed are charming and 



