LAV 



L A U 



parts : the stigmas long, recurved : the capsules 

 about twenty, black, "smooth, fixed in a ring 

 about a thick striated cone : when the seeds are 

 ripe, that part which is next to the axis appears 

 naked, on account of the pellicle which forms 

 the internal part of the capsule adhering to the 

 axis. According to Linnaeus, the leaves of the 

 first year are very large, and those of the fol- 

 lowing much smaller," which is a circumstance 

 common to this with other plants of the same 

 natural order. It is a native of the South of 

 France, flowering from June to October. 



The sixth species has a round branched stem, 

 from three to four feet in height: the leaves 

 are alternate, petiolcd, shorter than the petioles, 

 roundish, but with the border so rolled back as 

 to appear triangular: the stipules cordate, broad, 

 acuminate, sen-ate: the flowers axillary: three 

 peduncles, mostly one-flowered, in each axil, 

 upright, shorter than the petiole : the segments 

 of the outer calyx broad-cordate, acuminate : 

 the inner calyx twice as large, five-cornered, 

 acuminate, with the corners prominent : corolla 

 large, spreading, pale purple, with the claws 

 white, hairy : the capsules about fifteen, in a 

 ring about a column ending in a point. Ac- 

 cording 10 Linnaeus, the whole plant is tomen- 

 tose, being covered with very small glutinous 

 hairs, with other larger ones stellate at top mixed 

 among them. It is a native of France and 

 Spain, flowering from June to September. 



The seventh is a native of Portugal, flowering 

 in August and September. 



Culture. — The first two, or annual sorts, are 

 readily increased, by sowing the seeds in a light 

 soil in the places where the plants are to remain, 

 or in pots, in the spring season, as about the 

 latter end of March, in" patches of four or five 

 in each, giving them water occasionally when 

 the weather is dry. When the plants have at- 

 tained a little growth, they should be thinned 

 out to one or two of the strongest plants. When 

 any are to be removed to other places, it should 

 be done at this period, and with a little earth 

 about the roots, due water and shade being 

 given ; but they seldom succeed well by trans- 

 planting. 



All the other shrubby perennial sorts may 

 likewise be increased by sowing the seeds, and 

 managing the plants in the same manner. 



Most of these sorts will not last more than 

 two years in this climate, unless the soil be dry, 

 when they continue three or four. 



They in general require a warm dry situation, 

 or to have their roots covered by old tan, or the 

 protection of the green-house during the 

 severity of the winter season. 



They are all highly ornamental in different 



parts of pleasure-grounds. The annual sorts 

 have great beauty, in their flowers being large* 

 numerous, and conspicuous, and are proper 

 where large showy-flowering plants are required. 

 The perennial kinds are also suitable for large 

 borders and shrubbery compartments, having 

 large, straight, upright, durable stems, termi- 

 nated by branchy bushy heads, and very large- 

 soft foliage, that form a fine variety in assem- 

 blage with other plants, though their flowers are 

 often hidden bv their lari>c leaves. 



LAVENDER. See Lavandula. 



LAVENDER COTTON. See Santoltna. 



LAUREL. See Laurus and Prunits. 



LAUREL SPURGE. See Daphne. 



LAUREOLA. See Oestrum and Daphne. 



LAURESTINE. See Viburnum Ti.ntjs. 



LAUROCERASUS. See Prunus. 



LAURUS, a genus containing plants of the 

 evergreen and deciduous tree kinds for the borders, 

 green-house, and stove. 



It belongs to the class and order Eimeandria 

 Monogynia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Holoracece . 



The characters are : that there is no calyx 

 (unless the corolla be so called) : the corolla has 

 six ovate acuminate petals, concave, erect: the 

 alternate ones exterior : nectary consisting; of 

 three acuminated coloured tubercles, ending in 

 two bristles, standing round the germ : the sta- 

 mina have nine filaments, shorter than the co- 

 rolla, compressed, obtuse, three in each rank: 

 anthers growing on each side to the margin of 

 the filament on the upper part : glandules two, 

 globose, with a very short footstalk, affixed to 

 each filament of the inner rank near the base: 

 the pistillum is a snbovategerm : the stvle sim- 

 ple, equal, length of the stamens : stigma ob- 

 tuse, oblique : the periearpium is a drupe (or 

 berry), oval, acuminate, one-celled, compre- 

 hended by the corolla : the seed is an ovate- 

 acuminate nut : the kernel of the same form. 



The species cultivated are: 1. L. nobitis, 

 Common Sweet Bay ; 2. L. cestivalis, Willow- 

 leaved Bay; 3. L. Benzoin, Common Benja- 

 min-tree ; 4. L. Sassafras, Sassafras-tree ; 5. 

 L. Indlca, Royal Bay, or Indian Laurel ; 6. L. 

 Borlonia, Broad-leaved Carolina Bay, or Red 

 Bay; 7. L. Camphora, Camphor, or Gamphire- 

 tree ; 8. L. Cinnamomum , Cinnamon-tree ; 9. 

 L. Cassia, Cassia, or Wild Cinnamon-tree; 

 10. L. Persea, Alligator Pear. 



The first in this climate appears as a shrub, 

 but in the southern parts of Europe it becomes 

 a tree of twenty or thirty feet in height ; much 

 subject, however, in general, to put out suckers: 

 the leaves are evergreen, of a firm texture, the 

 largest from an inch and a half to two inches in 



