246 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



LAUREL. 



PRUNUS LAURO-CERASUS. 



BOSACE.&. ICOSANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 



r 



French, le laurier-cerise. Italian, lauro regio ; lauro di Trebisonda. 



THE Laurel, which has been frequently confounded 

 with the Laurus Nobilis, or Sweet Bay, does not even be- 

 long to the same genus. Among the species of Laurus are 

 many valuable trees, as the camphor, sassafras, cassia, cin- 

 namon, &c. ; but the common Laurel is not one of that 

 family. 



This Laurel was formerly called the Cherry-Bay, or 

 Bay-Cherry, and was preserved in green-houses in the winter. 

 The only protection against the climate now afforded it is 

 in planting it in a warm aspect, or against a warm wall, to 

 preserve it from frost. In warm countries, the Laurel will 

 grow to a great size ; so that in some parts of Italy there 

 are large woods of them. Where they are numerous, and 

 near together, they defend each other, and are not liable to 

 injury by frost : but when in pots, the roots should be 

 covered with a little straw in severe winters. In dry winter 

 weather, when not frosty, it may be watered once a week ; 

 in the summer, every evening when there is no rain. 



The Portugal is much hardier than the common Laurel. 

 They may be increased by cuttings of the same year's shoots, 

 which should be planted in September. If a small part of 

 the former year's wood be left at the bottom, they will 

 root faster. They should be planted five or six inches 

 deep, in a soft, loamy earth, and the earth pressed close to 

 them. 



Evelyn says, that if the Lauro-cerasus, or Cherry-laurel, 

 were not always suffered to run so low and shrubby, it 



