LAPAGEK1A. 



289 



LAVANDULA. 



r rom a spern hctl/ed. These must be kept 

 in a cool house dv.ring the winter, and will 

 make nice plants in the spring. There are 

 many named varieties, which may be pro- 

 cured from nurserymen. 



(nat. ord. Lilia'ceae). 

 A beautiful greenhouse climber, pro- 

 ducing pretty bell-like flowers, either white 

 or rose-coloured. They require a rich, 

 light soil, plentifully mixed with sand and 

 peat. They are propagated by seeds sown, 

 as soon as ripe, in gentle heat, or by layers, 

 which is the best mode of obtaining strong, 

 quick -growing plants. The pots in which 

 they are grown must be well drained. They 

 are subject to attacks of green fly in spring, 

 and require care and watchful attention in 

 this respect. The best-known species are 

 Lapageria rosea and L. r. alba, which pre- 

 sent a beautiful appearance when trained 

 over a greenhouse wall. 



Larch, or Larix. See Pinetum. 



Larkspur (nat. ord. Ranuncula'ceae). 

 Yhe Larkspur, or Delphiniums, form a 

 <t] most generally cultivated and 



ornamental annuals, biennials, and peren- 

 nials, combining unusual richness with an 

 endless variety of colours, all extremely 



beautiful and pleasing ; the flowers a;* 

 produced in the greatest profusion, a no 

 the plants in beds, masses, or ribbons aic 

 strikingly effective ; indeed, few plants arc 

 so generally useful and valuable for then 

 decorative qualities either in the garden 

 or, when cut, for vases. The annuals are 

 reproduced by seed sown in any good 

 garden soil in a warm border in April, 01 

 earlier in pans under shelter, to be planted 

 out when sufficiently advanced in growth. 

 The perennials, especially named varieties, 

 are best propagated by divisions or cuttings. 

 They may be also grown from s?ed. The 

 tall-growing varieties scattered in shrub- 

 bery borders produce a charming effect 

 when backed by the green foliage of the 

 shrubs. See also Delphinium. 



LathyTUS. See Pea, Sweet ; Pea, Ever- 

 lasting, pp. 15, 249. 



LaurilS (nat. ord. Laurine'ae). 



The ordinary laurel (see Cerasus) does 

 not belong to this genus, which includes 

 two species only, namely, Laurus, or Lin- 

 dera Benzoni, and L. nobilis, the true 

 laurel commonly known as the Sweet 

 Bay. This is a hardy evergreen shrub, 

 and is propagated by cuttings set in a 

 moist and shady situation, in light loam 

 mixed with sand, and protected by a 

 handglass. 



Lavandula, or Lavender (nat. ord. 



Labia'tse). 



There are various species of this genus, 

 but the best known is tiie common lavender 

 (Lavandula vera) of the garden and market 

 garden, whose dried flowers are so much 

 sought after for their delicious fragrance. 

 It is propagated by cuttings takeun in 

 autumn, and struck under A handligbt in 

 any light garden soil. Lavender, it may 

 be said, is grown extensively for the manu- 

 facture of lavender-water, and the appear- 



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