L AM 



337 



LAN 



any soil that is not particularly heavy ; 

 the best is a sandy moderately fertile 

 loam, in an open situation. 



Time and Mode of Sowing. — Seed 

 may he sown in February and the two 

 following months, and once a month 

 during the summer, if in request; but 

 it is not so palatable during this season. 

 Lastly, during August and early in Sep- 

 tember, the plants from which will be 

 fit for use in early spring, or during the 

 winter, if mild. Three sowings are in 

 general quite sufficient for a family, 

 viz., one at the end of February, a 

 second early in August, and a third 

 early in September. 



The seed sown in drills, six inches 

 apart. The only cultivation required 

 is the keeping the plants free from 

 weeds by frequent hocings, they being 

 previously thinned to four inches asun- 

 der. They should always be eaten quite 

 young. In summer, the whole plant 

 may be cut, as they soon advance to 

 seed at this season ; but in spring and 

 winter the outer leaves only should be 

 gathered, as directed for spinach. 



To obtain Seed. — Some of the spring- 

 raised plants must be left ungathered 

 from. They flower in June, and per- 

 fect their seed during the two following 

 months. 



L.^MIUM orvala. Hardy herbaceous. 

 Seed and division. Common soil. Some 

 varieties of L. longifolium and L. rugo- 

 suin are also cultivated in gardens. 



LAMPWICK. Phlomis lychnitis. 



LAND-DITCHING. See Draining. 



LANDRA. Rapkanus landra. 



LANDRETH, David, was a native 

 of England, the son of a farmer of Ber- 

 wick upon Tweed. Early in life his 

 attention was attracted by plants and 

 flowers, and yielding to his fondness for 

 them, and impulses which they only 

 who love nature can fully appreciate, he 

 determined to a<lopt gardening as a 

 profession. At that day the art was 

 less widely and ardently pursued than 

 at the present, and the sources of in- 

 formation, and consequent means of im- 

 provement, were limited. Then publi- 

 cations on the subject were not, as now, 

 of almost daily issue. Periodicals on 

 gardening and rural afi'airs were un- 

 known ; and, save the works of Miller, 

 there was scarcely one for reference. 

 Since then Horticulture has assumed its 

 rightful place as a delightful if not a 

 22 



fine art, cherished and pursued by the 

 intellectual and refined. 



The subject of this sketch, after hav- 

 ing availed himself of the usual routine 

 of practice in the neighbourhood of his 

 birth-place, as a mean most likely to 

 promote his views, and extend his 

 knowledge of the more approved rules 

 of the profession which he had espoused, 

 removed to the vicinity of London. 

 Here he profited by an observance 

 of the operations in the extensive 

 nursery establishments and pleasure- 

 grounds around the metropolis ; and, 

 having prepared himself for the efficient 

 practice of his art, embarked for Ame- 

 rica. The hostilities between the mo- 

 ther country and her colonies, then ex- 

 isting, prevented his sailing for a middle 

 port, and he accordingly took passage 

 for Quebec, where he resided for three 

 years. On the conclusion of the war, 

 his longing desire to remove to a south- 

 ern point, and climate more genial to 

 his pursuit, could now be gratified; and 

 in the autumn of 1784 he arrived in Phi- 

 ladelphia, the spot towards which his 

 eye had been unwaveringly directed — 

 but why, he has been heard to say, he 

 could not tell. There all were stran- 

 gers. Within its wide extent there did 

 not live a solitary being with whom he 

 could claim acquaintance, much less 

 friendship. How many have since fol- 

 lowed from their fither-land, and found 

 peaceful and happy homes! 



With a pocket but scantily supplied, 

 and winter approaching, when but little 

 employment in his line could be ex- 

 pected, he availed himself of a tempo- 

 rary engagement. It was not long, 

 however, ere his qualifications and cor- 

 rect deportment secured the favourable 

 notice of Robert Morris, the distinguish- 

 ed revolutionary patriot, in whose em- 

 ployment he entered, and continued for 

 several years, and with whose regard 

 he was honoured until the close of Mr. 

 Morris' eventful'life. 



Mr. L., on relinquishing the employ- 

 ment of Mr. Morris, was enabled to 

 carry out his long-cherished and origi- 

 nal design of establishing himself as a 

 Nurseryman ; and shortly thereafter 

 laid the foundation of vvliat has been 

 known throughout the Union, for more 

 than half a century, as the " Landreth 

 Nurseries." He ultimately associated 

 with himself a younger brother, Cuth- 

 bert, who had followed him to America, 



