890 



LAURUS 



ferred to Laurus, but with the exception of two, these 

 species are now placed in other genera. These two true 

 Lauruses are L. nobilis, Linu. (the subject of this 

 sketch), and L. Canariensis, Webb & Berth., of the 

 Canary Islands. The fls. are dioecious or perfect, small 

 and inconspicuous, in small, axillary umbels; perianth 

 with a short tube and a4-parted limb; stamens 8-12 or 

 more, and staminodia often present: ovary sunk in the 

 receptacle, the style short: fr. a small berry. 



The Sweet Bay (i. nobilis) has stiff, dull green, en- 

 tire, alternate Ivs. lanceolate or lance-oblong in shape: 

 yellowish fls. in early spring: succulent, purple, cherry- 



1244. Laurus nobil 



like fruits. The Ivs. are sometimes used in cookery and 

 the making of confections, because of their pleasant 

 aromatic flavor. The wreaths with which the heroes of 

 antiquity were crowned were made of Laurel leaves. 



Laurus Benzoin of trade catalogues is Benzoin odor- 

 iferum. L. Sassafras is the Sassafras tree. L. Cam- 

 phora is the Camphor tree (see Camphora and Cinna- 

 momum). L H. B. 



It is estimated that several hundred thousand Bay 

 Trees are sold every year in Europe and America. 

 They are mostly imported from Belgium and Holland, 

 where they are cult, as follows : Cuttings 3—1 inches 

 long from well-ripened wood are put in sharp sand, 

 either under bell glasses or in glass cases. Bottom heat 

 is not essential. After the cuttings have rooted, they 

 are potted in small pots, in fairly rich sandy loam, 

 with good drainage, and can then be put in a hotbed, 

 with some gentle bottom heat, where they will at once 

 make a good strong growth. After this they are, as a 

 rule, planted in nursery rows, in rich sandy soil, with 

 perfect drainage. They will make a strong shoot 3 to 5 

 feet in length in one season. These shoots are tied up 

 to stakes. At the end of the growing season and long 

 before the cold weather sets in, these young plants, to- 

 gether with their stakes, are taken up and put into their 

 winter quarters, which, as a rule, is a well-lighted and 

 ventilated shed— an ordinary barn-like shed, sometimes 

 built several feet into the ground and provided with 

 sky-lights and ventilators. These plants are set in close 

 rows and watered once or twice a week, according to the 

 weather. Little or no flre heat is used in these sheds 

 unless the weather gets extremely cold. The tempera- 

 ture is kept just above freezing. In the spring they are 

 taken out and either potted and plunged in nursery 

 rows, or planted out, as befnrr. Plenty of water, rich 



peaty soil and the congenial ist atniospbcre near tlie 



seacoast induces them to make a fast ami luxuriant 

 growth. Thus they are cultivated continually until the 

 plants have been trained into the desired form, and as 

 soon as they have attained enough of this fonn to show 

 their character, which usually is from 5 to 6 years after 

 propagation, they are planted in properly proportioned 

 hardwood tubs and are then ready for the market, or to 



LAVANDULA 



be further cultivated, perhaps for a good many years, 

 until they grow into large specimens. The trees are cut 

 back and trimmed into shape once a year, after the new 

 growth is well matured. 



The peaty muck soil in which they are grown abroad 

 is very deceptive t« Americans, and many flue trees 

 have been ruined by not understanding its nature. Its 

 dark color always makes it look moist. Sometimes 

 when the soil looks moist enough the trees are really 

 dying from drought. 



In retubbing trees there is danger of using for fllling 

 material a soil that is too heavy. The water then runs 

 into the new soil, leaving the old soil dry. If the trouble 

 is not detected soon the trees may be spoiled. The only 

 thing to do in such cases is to comb out the old ball anil 

 cut back to live roots. The tree can then be planted in 

 the open to gain a new set of roots, after which the top 

 can be cut back to live wood. The tree may thus be 

 eventually brought iuto a good shape again. 



As a rule, Bay Trees are not good liouse plants. They 

 do not like the dry heat of a dwelling. They can, how- 

 ever, stand considerable heat if they have plenty of 

 fresh air and plenty of water. In spring and early sum- 

 mer, when they are making and finishing their growth, 

 they can stand any quantity of liquid manure or of 

 strong manure mulching, for they are great feeders. 

 Many people erroneously suppose that this tree aft'ords 

 the bay rum of commerce. The cured leaves of the 

 Sweet Bay are used in putting up packages of rice, and 

 iaifpart a rich and agreeable aroma, jj, ^ Siebrecht. 



LAVANDULA (Latin, lavo, to wash; referring to the 

 use of Lavender in the bath). LabiAtw. This genus in- 

 cludes the Lavender (£. vera), an ancient garden favor- 

 ite because of its pleasant odor. The genus contains 

 about 20 species, scattered from the Mediterranean 

 region to India; perennial herbs, subshrubs or shrubs- 

 Ivs. commonly crowded at the base, pinnatifld or dis-_ 

 sected : whorls 2-10-fld., crowded into long-peduncled" 

 cylindrical spikes, which are unbranched or branched 

 from the base: fls. blue or violet; calyx tubular, 1,3-15- 

 striated, 5-toothed ; corolla lobes nearly equal, or the 

 posterior lip 2-cut, the anterior 3-cut; stamens i, didyn- 

 amous, declined, included in the tube ; style shortly 

 2cut at the apex. In the North, winter protection should 

 be provided for Lavender, The plant grows naturally in 

 dry and hilly wastes, J. B. Keller advises a light, 

 open soil. 

 A. Spil^e loose: upper floral Ivs. fertile, shorter than 

 the calyx. 

 B. Lvs. not densely woolly. 



v^ra, nc. Lavender. Subshrub, 1-3 ft. high : lvs. 

 oblong-linear or lanceolate, entire; yoiinger ones often 

 clustered in the axils, white-tomentose, revolute at the 

 margins; older ones greener, 1-lK in. long: spikes in- 

 terrupted: whorls 6-10-fld. Summer. 



Spica, Cav. Dwarfer than the true Tjavender, whiter, 

 the lvs. more crowded at the bftse of the branches, spike 

 denser and shorter. The floral lvs. are lanceolate or 

 linear (rhomboid-ovate acuminate in L. vera), and the 

 bracts are linear-awl-shaped, shorter than the calyx, 

 while in L. vera the bracts are almost absent. 



BE. Lvs densely woolly. 



lanita, Boiss Differs also from the preceding in 

 having much longer and less crowded spikes. Woolson 

 says it grows 1-2 ft. high and needs winter protection 

 at Passaic, N. J. 



AA. Spike dense: upper floral lvs. sterile, comose. 

 B. I/VS. entire. 



Stoechas, Linn. Shrub, 2-3 ft. high : lvs. tomentose, 

 about J^in. long : spikes short-peduncled, densely co- 

 mose : fls. dark purple. Cult, only in S. Calif. 



BB, Lvs. obtusely pinnate-dentate. 

 dentita, Linn. Lvs. pubescent : spikes long-pedun- 

 cleil: fls. deep purple. Mediterranean region. B.M. 400. 

 — Int. 1900 by Frauceschi. w jf. 



Lavender (L. vera, DC), a labiate shrub, 2-3, 

 sometimes 6 ft. tall, with green or glaucous lvs, and 

 flowers in cylindrical, terminal spikes, of a blue tint 



