®. 
LEAF-MOULD. 
SEER 
there will be no occasion for stoop- 
ing. 
Layine 1n BY THE HEELS. — 
When plants are taken up for re- 
moval, if they cannot be planted 
immediately, they are generally laid 
together horizontally, in a trench 
made for that purpose; and the 
roots covered with earth. This is 
done to prevent the roots from be- 
coming dry and withered, which 
they would do if they were left ex- 
posed to the open air for any length 
of time. 
Leapwort.—See Piumpa‘co. 
Lear-Movw.p is formed of decay- 
ed leaves, and is one of the most 
useful materials in the culture of 
flowers. All plants whatever will 
grow in leaf-mould, mixed with 
Joam and sand; and many plants 
will grow in leaf-mould alone. It 
is particularly useful for growing 
plants in pots, especially Pelargo- 
niums, Fuchsias, Petunias, Brug- 
mansias, &c.; and in many cases 
it may be used as Wbstitute for 
heath-mould. Leaf-mould is formed 
by sweeping up the leaves of trees | 
and shrubs in autumn and winter, 
and laying them in heaps in a con- 
venient place to rot, turning them 
over occasionally, so as to expose 
continually a new surface to the | 
action of the air. At the end of a 
year, a considerable portion of the 
leaves will have become mould, and 
may be separated from the rest by | 
sifting; and at the end of two years, | 
the whole will have become one 
mass of mould. 
to grow any kind of herbaceous 
plants to the largest possible size, 
within a given time, I do not know 
how it could be better done than 
270 
If it were required | 
ee 
LEAVES. 
in Holland, are grown to an enor- 
mous size in only leaf-mould and 
sand. ‘The best substitute for leaf- 
mould is heath-mould, mixed with 
sifted very rotten dung, or rotten 
dung alone may be used, if it has 
become so thoroughly decayed as 
to form a kind of mould. 
Leatuer Woop.—See Di'rca. 
Leaves are, next to roots, the 
most important parts of plants. 
Vith a root a plant will begin to 
grow, but unless the leaves which 
it produces are allowed to come to 
maturity, it will soon cease to live, 
because it is in the leaves alone 
that the moisture imbibed by the 
roots is elaborated into the sap or 
vital juice of the plant. Nothing 
so decidedly shows the ignorance 
or knowledge of a gardener as the 
manner in which he treats the 
leaves of plants. Those of bulbs 
many gardeners will, if not pre- 
vented, cut off as soon as the plants 
_ have done flowering ; and in gene- 
ral gardeners wish to perform the 
Same operation on all herbaceous 
plants after they have flowered. 
When a man of this description 
 raaked a layer or a cutting of a 
'shoot that has the leaves on, he 
either takes them off entirely or 
cuts off their tips, not knowing that 
it is by means of the leaves alone 
that such cuttings can produce 
/roots. (See Currtines.) At the 
base of every leaf there is the rudi- 
ment of a bud, either visible or dor- 
'mant, and unless the leaf be allow- 
ed to come to maturity, this rudi- 
‘ment is killed or prevented from 
becoming a vital germ. Wherever 
a are required, therefore, it is 
“necessary to preserve leaves. But 
by placing the plant in the centre | leaves not only return sap to the 
of a bed, three or four cubical yards | buds at the base of their petioles, 
deep, of ieaf-mould mixed with but through these petioles they re- 
coarse sand, thoroughly drained by | turn sap to the genera: cireulation 
a stratum of stones at the bottom, | of the plant; and hence, the growth 
and amply supplied with water. | both of the roots of the plant and 
Pine-apples in France, and Melons ‘its shoots depends entirely on the 
