LASTHENIA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



LATHYRUS. 



623 



form of healthy seedling plants, as a group 

 in park or woodland. 



L. leptolepis (Japan Larch}. In its 

 own country this is described as a medium- 

 sized tree resembling our European Larch, 

 to which it is said to be inferior, but from 

 experience gained by planters this is 



Larix. 



thought doubtful, as it promises very well 

 indeed as a woodland tree, and is said to 

 escape the Larch fungus canker which is 

 so deadly to the European Larch. 



L. americana (Tamarack}.- A slender 

 tree, in its own country reaching a height 

 of nearly 100 ft., but not thriving so well 

 in England, and not so remarkable for 

 beauty as our European Larch. It grows 

 naturally in low-lying ground or swamps, 

 and has not been fairly tried in our gar- 

 dens, in which such ground does not often 

 occur. Syn., Microcarpa and Pendula. 



L. occidentalis ( Western Larc/i).Sa\d 

 to be the noblest of all the Larches, from 

 the mountains of North-west America. 

 It is of great height, but as yet little tried 

 in our country, though promising well. 



LASTHENIA. A pretty hardy an- 

 nual, L.glabrata being from 9 in. to i ft. 

 high, with many rich orange-yellow blos- 

 soms. It should be sown in autumn or 

 early summer, or in spring for later bloom. 

 Like other annuals, it looks best in broad 

 tufts, but care must be taken that the 

 plants are properly thinned. The autumn- 

 sown plants come in with the Iberis, Wall- 

 flowers, and early Phloxes. L. californica 

 is a variety. California. Composite. 



Lastrea. Syn., Aspidium and Nephro- 

 dhtm. 



LATHYEUS (Everlasting Pea}, 

 Hardy annual and perennial plants, several 

 of them very beautiful for the garden. The 

 perennial kinds of Peas are valuable, as 

 they are of such free growth and last long 

 in bloom. The kinds worth growing are 

 not numerous, yet sufficient to keep up 

 an unbroken display from May till 

 October. They have long fleshy roots, 

 which, when once established, will go on 

 for years without giving further trouble or 

 needing attention. Near a low wall or 

 trellis they succeed admirably, and climb- 

 ing gracefully drape such surfaces with 

 veils of foliage and blossom. Upon 

 banks, raised borders, or on the bold 

 rock-garden few things are prettier, and 

 they never look better than when scram- 



The White Everlasting Pea (Lathyrus latifolius 

 albus). 



bling over the face of a rock, flowering as 

 they go. The way to spoil them is to 

 attempt to tie and train them in a stiff or 

 formal way. They may be used with 

 good effect in mixed borders, and they 

 are valuable for cutting from. The best 

 varieties are pretty if allowed to grow 



