LA U 



OR, BOTANICAL DICTIONARY. 



L AU 



25 



it eight inches deep with rich loose fresh earth ; plant the 

 cuttings five inches deep, and eight or nine asunder, rubbing 

 off their leaves ; water them gently every evening while the 

 weather continues warm, and cover the glasses with mats 

 during the heat of the day : when the cuttings have shot, 

 let them receive all mild gentle showers, and the evening 

 dews ; the beginning of August the glasses may be taken off, 

 and replaced when the weather begins to be frosty, keeping 

 them open every mild day ; at the beginning of April follow- 

 ing, or as soon as the weather becomes temperate, remove 

 both glasses and frames ; continue frequent and plentiful 

 waterings during the summer months, as the weather may 

 require, and the succeeding April they will be strong, well 

 rooted, and fit for removal into the nursery, where, after 

 having cut away the superfluous roots and branches, atten- 

 tively encouraging the leading shoot, they may be planted 

 in a well-sheltered quarter of light mould, in rows three 

 feet and a half asunder, and eighteen inches in the row. 

 Dig the ground in autumn and spring ; keep it clean, loose, 

 and mellow in summer, and prune the plants annually in 

 April. Let them continue three, but not more than four 

 years before they are planted out where they are to remain. 

 The Broad and Narrow-leaved Bay are not so hardy as the 

 common sort, and will scarcely live abroad whilst young, 

 in common winters, without shelter. In severe winters the 

 old trees are frequently killed, or at least the branches are 

 much injured ; the plants are therefore frequently kept in 

 tubs, and housed in. winter. The Gold-striped Bay is also 

 tender ; it is usually kept in pots, and housed with hardy 

 green-house plants ; it will survive in the open ground, but 

 will be tarnished and sometimes much injured in severe 

 winters : it is a strong rich variegation ; the method of 

 increasing it is by budding on the plain sort. The Common 

 Bay will make a variety in all evergreen plantations, and as 

 it will grow under the shade of other trees, where they are 

 not too close, it is very proper to plant in the borders of 

 woods, where they will have a good effect in winter. In a 

 warm dry sandy or gravelly soil, this tree will attain the 

 height of thirty feet; but, to secure its fine verdure, it should 

 be planted in situations that are not exposed to north and 

 north-east winds, from which it frequently suffers in severe 

 winters, but generally recovers in summer. Not a single 

 branch should be taken from it, except in the spring. As an 

 elegant and beautiful plant, yielding a most refreshing and 

 salubrious smell to a considerable distance, it cannot be too 

 much encouraged ; and to persons of classical taste, it can 

 never fail to excite many pleasing ideas, by recalling to their 

 minds the distinguished manner in which it is mentioned in 

 Holy Writ, Psalm xxxvii. 35 ; and the various fine passages 

 and allusions of the ancient poets. 



10. Laurus Indica; Royal Bay, or Indian Laurel. Leaves 

 oblong-lanceolate, perennial, somewhat glaucous underneath, 

 the edges at the base rolled back ; racemes elongated. Flowers 

 terminating, below racemed, above panicled. It is a large 

 tree, with ascending branches. Loureiro observes, that the 

 wood is of a yellow colour, not heavy, good for building, 

 but still better for furniture. It is called vigniatico in the 

 island of Madeira, and is probably what is imported into 

 England under the name of Madeira Mahogany: it is hardly 

 to be distinguished from mahogany, except that it is some- 

 what less brown. Native of Madeira, the Canary Islands, 

 Virginia, Japan, and Cochin-china. 



11. Laurus Fcetens ; Madeira Laurel, or Til. Leaves 

 veined, elliptic, acute, perennial ; axils of the veins villose 



underneath ; racemes elongated, compound, panicle-form. 



Native of Madeira and the Canarv Islands. 



12. Laurus Persea; Alligator Pear. Leaves ovate, cori- 

 aceous, transversely veined, perennial ; flowers corymbed. 

 It grows to the height of thirty feet, and has a trunk as large 

 as our common apple-trees. The fruit is the size of one of 

 our largest pears, inclosing a large seed with two lobes, 

 included in a thin shell ; the pulp is covered with a tough 

 skinny coat. This fruit is held in great esteem in the West 

 Indies : the pulp is of a pretty firm consistence, and has a 

 delicate rich-flavour ; it gains upon the palate of most per- 

 sons, and becomes agreeable even to those who cannot like 

 it at first; but it is so rich and mild, that most people make 

 use of some spice or pungent substance to give it a poignancy; 

 and for this purpose some make use of wine, some of sugar, 

 some of lime juice, but most of pepper and salt. It seems 

 equally agreeable to the horse, the cow, the dog, and the 

 cat, as well as to all sorts of birds ; when plentiful, it makes 

 a great part of the delicacies of the negroes. Native of the 

 West Indies. This plant is propagated by seeds, which 

 should be obtained as fresh as possible from the countries of 

 its growth ; if they are brought over in sand, they will be 

 more likely to grow than when dry. Set them in pots filled 

 with rich light earth, plunged into a hot-bed of tanner's bark, 

 keeping them pretty warm, and water them frequently, but 

 moderately, when the earth appears dry. In five or six 

 weeks the plants will come up. Treat them very tenderly by 

 keeping up the bed to a due temperature of heat; and when 

 the weather proves warm, admit the fresh air by raising the 

 glasses a little. When they are about four inches high, 

 transplant them very carefully ; and where there are several 

 plants in one pot, part them, preserving a ball of earth to 

 the root of each, and put them into separate small pots 

 filled with light rich earth, which plunge into a hot-bed of 

 tanner's bark, shading them until they have taken new 

 root ; after which, fresh air should be admitted to them, in 

 proportion to the warmth of the season. Towards Michael- 

 mas the plants must be removed into the stove, and plunged 

 into the bark-bed, where, during the winter season, they 

 should be kept in a moderate warmth, and gently watered 

 twice a week. In the spring the plants should be shifted into 

 pots a size larger, and the bark-bed should be then renewed 

 with fresh tan, which will set the plants in a growing state. 

 These plants must be constantly kept in the stove, for they 

 are too tender to bear the open air in this country, but in 

 warm weather they should have a large share of fresh air. 



13. Laurus Borbonia; Broad-leaved Carolina Bay, or 

 Red Bay. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, perennial, veined ; 

 fruits oblong, immersed in a berried receptacle. In some 

 situations ne'er the sea, this rises with a straight large trunk 

 to a considerable height; but in the inland parts of the 

 country it is of an humbler stature. The leaves are much 

 longer than those of the common Bay, and are a little woolly 

 on their under side. Berries blue, in red cups, growing two 

 and sometimes three together. The wood is finely grained, 

 and of excellent use for cabinets, &c. especially some of the 

 best sorts, which resembles watered satin, and is very beau- 

 tiful. They will not live in sharp winters ; and should be 

 kept in pots or tubs during the winter. 



14. Laurus Exaltata. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, veined, 

 coriaceous, perennial, flat; racemes upright, compound; 

 calix cup-shaped, permanent. Native of Jamaica. 



15. Laurus Triandra. Leaves broad, lanceolate, perennial, 

 flat ; flowers three-stamined ; fruit covered by the calix. 

 Native of Jamaica. 



16. Laurus Coriacea. Leaves ovate-acuminate, flat, veined, 

 shining, coriaceous ; racemes upright, shorter than the leaves. 

 Native of Jamaica. 



