L Y C 



L Y C 



their length into the ground, leaving only one 

 joint or eve out, watering them directly, and 

 repeating it occasionally with necessary shade 

 in liot weather. They will be well rooted, and 

 form proper plants tor transplanting in the au- 

 tumn. If the cuttings, as soon as planted, are 

 covered down close with hand-glasses, it will 

 greatly promote their rooting, so as to form 

 stronger plants before the winter season comes 

 on. 



Tlic only culture thev require afterwards is 

 clearing them from weeds in summer, and sup- 

 porting with stakes them which need it, cutting 

 down and clearing away the decayed stalks in 

 the aufunni. 



Of the third sort, as being rather more tender, 

 some plants should be planted in pots, for niov- 

 ins uiuler the protection of a frame or green- 

 house in the winter season. 



They are all verv ornamental for tlie pleasure- 

 ground, particularly, the doubles, and prosper 

 in anv common soil, remaining in all weathers 

 inihurt, being of many vears' duration in root ; 

 and, when of some standing, sen<l up many 

 stalks every spring, terminated by numerous 

 flowers, making a fine appearance in summer. 

 The Scarlet Double Lychnis claims the |)reference, 

 thoLigh the single scarlet sort is also very showy. 

 And all the other species in their respective 

 double-flowered states are ornamental. They 

 are all kept in the nurseries for sale. In plant- 

 ing out, the tallest growers should be jilaced the 

 most backward, and the others more towards 

 the front. 



LYLTUM, a genus containing plants of the 

 shrubbv exotic kmd. 



It belongs to the class and order Pciitaiidr'ia 

 MoiKigjiiila, and ranks in the naiural order of 

 LiiiridcE. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a sub- 

 quinquefid jjerianthium, obtuse, erect, very 

 small, permanent : the corolla monopetalous, 

 funnel-lbrm : tube cylindric, sprcaduig, incurv- 

 ed: border live-parteil, ulunse, spreading, small: 

 the stamina have five awl-shaped filaments, 

 from the middle of the tube, shorter than the 

 corolla, closing the tube with a beard: anthers 

 erect: the pibtillum is a roundish germ : style 

 simple, longer than the stamen* : stigma bilid, 

 thickish : the pericarpium is a roundish berry, 

 iwo-celled : the seeds several and kidney-form : 

 - the receptacles convex, affixed to the jiartition. 

 The species are : 1, L. yJfrtim, African Box - 

 thorn j 2. L. harljanim. Willow-leaved Bt)X- 

 thorn ; 3. L. L'tf)'0/;ti'//w;, European liox-lhorn; 

 4. L. Tarlarlciim, Tartarian Hox-thorn. 



The first rises vvilh irregular shrubbv stalks 

 ien or twelve feet hidi, sendinc; out several 



crooked knottv branches, covered with a whitish 

 bark, and armed with long sharp spines, upon 

 which grow many clusters of narrow leaves ; 

 these thorns often put out one or two smaller on 

 their sides, which have some clusters of smaller 

 leaves upon them : the branches are s2;aruished 

 with very narrow leaves an inch and a half long, 

 and at the base of these come out clusters of 

 shorter and narrower leaves : the flowers come 

 out from the sides of the branches, standing 

 upon short foot-stalks, and are of a dull purple 

 colour: the berry is of a vellowish colour when 

 ripe, very dark red, inclosing several hard 

 seeds. It usually flowers in June and July, and 

 the seeds ripen in the autumn ; but frequently 

 a tiew flowers come out in all the summer 

 months. It is a native of the Cape. 



The second species is a weak shrub, nodding 

 and decumbent unless supported : the bark of 

 the branches whitish : the flowers from each 

 bud from two to five, each on its proper pedun- 

 cle. It differ^ from all the other sorts in having 

 the mouth of the calyx two-lobed, or sometimes 

 three-lobed : the border of the corolla spread- 

 ing, with the throat pale streaked with black, 

 and ]Kirple or pale red within. It is a native of 

 Europe, Asia, and the Cape, flowering from 

 Mav to October. 



There are several varieties. The first has a 

 shrubby stalk seven or eight feet high, sendino- 

 out several irregular branches, armed with strong- 

 spines, and furnished with short thick leaves : 

 the flowers, which come out from the side of 

 the branches are small and white. They appear 

 in July and August, but do not produce seeds 

 m this climate. 



The second has the stalk four or five feet high, 

 sending out many irregular branches, covered 

 with a veiy white bark, and armed with a few 

 short spinels : the leaves are about three inches 

 long, and one mch broad in the middle, alter- 

 nate, pale green. The flowers appear in June 

 and .hih', and are succeeded bv small round ber- 

 ries that ripen in the autunui, when iliey be- 

 come as red as coral. 



The third rises with weak irregular diffused 

 branches to a great height, requiring support : 

 some of these branches have in one year been 

 upwards of twelve feet long: the lower leaves are 

 more than four inches long, and three broad in the 

 middle; they are of a h<ihi green and a thin 

 consistence, placed without order on every side 

 the branches. As the shoots advance in leni'th, 

 the leaves diminish in size, and towards the 

 upper part are not more than an inch long and 

 a quarter of an inch broad ; sitting close to the 

 stalks on every side. The (lowers come out 

 singly at every joint towards the upper pairt ot" 



