LAY 



LEA 



241 



produced out of little tubercle?, in 

 the form of a painter's pencil. Iht 

 cone3 are produced at remote dis- 

 tances from the male tlowers,on the 

 same tree : The male flowers are 

 ver) like small cones at their first 

 appearance, but afterwards strt tcli 

 out m length. In autumn the) cast 

 their leaves. From the wounded 

 bark of this tree exudes the purest 

 Venice turpentine." Complete 

 Farmer. 



A sort of trees which grow nat- 

 urally, and in great plenty, in the 

 northern paits of New-England, 

 called Juniper, I take to be the true 

 larch, as it answers to the above 

 description, as well as to that given 

 by Mr. Miller. They thrive best 

 in poor, wot and cold soils, and 

 should by all means be cultivated. 

 But their peculiar excellence is, 

 that they will also thrive admirably 

 in the driest and poorest soils. 

 This is true of the whole race of 

 pines, of which this is one, though 

 it differs from all the others in be- 

 ing deciduous, or losing its leaves 

 in winter. We may add that they 

 are far superior to the Cedar for 

 posts, or for any use where ihey are 

 subjected to moisture. It is known 

 that Venice in Italy is built on 

 poles of the larch, and there is evi 

 dence that they have endured a 

 thousand years. 



LAYERS, tender twigs buried 

 in earth, which having stuck root, 

 are afterwards cut off, and become 

 distinct plants. 



Potatoes, and many other herba- 

 ceous plants, may be in this man- 

 ner propagated. But there is little 

 advantage to be gained by doing it. 



As to those trees and shrubs 

 31 



which yield no seed in this climate, 

 neither can be propagaltd by cut- 

 tings, there may be often occasion 

 for laying them. The manner of 

 doing it is as follows : Takes-hoots 

 of the last year's growth, bend ih^m 

 to the earth, and bury them in good 

 mellow ?oil haif a fool under the 

 surface, and fasten them with hooks 

 to prevent their rismg, bending the 

 tops so as to bring them above the 

 surface. A slit upwards in the twig 

 should be made in that part that 

 lies deepest in the soil, or a wire 

 drawn last round it, to prevent the 

 sap mounting too fast; and moss 

 should be laid on the surface, to 

 prevent the sudden drying of the 

 mould. Afterwards they should be 

 watered as there may be occasion. 

 If they form roots, they may be cut 

 oifand transplaiited the next spring 

 into the nursery. 



The time for laying evergreens 

 is July or August ; for laying decid- 

 uous trees, October. 



LEAVES, the most extreme 

 partsof the branchesof trees, shrubs, 

 •fee. — "'Their ofiice is to subtilize 

 the nourishing sap, and convey it 

 to the little buds, and to cover and 

 defend the flfiwers and fruit. 



" Dr. Grew observes, that the 

 fibres of leaves consist of two gen- 

 eral kinds of vessels, viz. for sap, 

 and for air ; and are ramified out 

 of greater into less, as veins and ar- 

 teries are in animals. 



" If the surface of the leaves is 

 altered, by reversing the branches 

 of trees on which they grow, the 

 plants are stopped in their growth, 

 until the foot stalks are turned, and 

 the leaves recover their former po- 

 sition. If leaves are eaten, or cut 



