896 LEDUM 



in N. AmericH. Allioil to Rhodoilemlron, but eorolla 

 polypetaluus. I'N r-iili.-r ■^irnill, ^a-J^ iu. across, loug- 

 pedicelled, in i. i niihil, limiiri likfi racemes; calyx lobes 

 and petals .'). ~l I us 5-10: capsule nodding, 



5-celled, sepin.i . : i I. use into 5 valves, with 



many minute -^i I Ih. i -. cimtain a volatile oil, with 

 narcotic properties; tlie Ivs. of L. tatifoUum are said 

 to have been used during the war of independence as 

 a substitute for tea, hence the name "Labrador Tea.'' 



palustre, Linn. Wii.n Roskmahv. One to 2 ft. high: 

 Ivs. linear or linear-ol>l"ir--, n \ .lnh ;ii il.e margin, dark 

 green and somewhat ru-M , ! i > ly ferrugineous- 



tomentose beneath lik. i: i h.lies, K-IM in. 



long: stamens 10: capsui' - :;■ Mi...lune. N. hemi- 

 spliere, in N. America froni ;\ewtimMilland to Alaska. 

 L.B.C. 6:560. Var. dilatWam, Gray. Lvs. broader: cap- 

 sule more oblong. N. W. coast of N. Amer., Japan. Var. 

 decumbens. Ait. With procumbent stems and shorter 

 usually oval lvs. 



latijfilium, Ait. (L. O'rn.iil.hnlin,,,,. Oeder). One to 

 3 ft., similar to the fin-Micr, l.iit K s. I.n>a(ler, o4)long or 

 linear-oblong, 1-2 in. luiii,', toieuiiun beneath often 

 whitish at first: stamens :,-:-. c:iijsule oblong. May, 

 June. Canada to Brit. Col., south to Pa. and Wis. 

 L.B.O.0:.534 and 11:1049 (as L. cauadense). J. H. III. 

 31:20 {as L. palustre). Gn.34, p.31. 



L. buxifblium, Berg.=Leiophyllum biixifolium.— L. glandu- 

 Kimm, Nutt. Shrub, to 8 ft.; lvs. oblong or oval, gl.ibrons, 

 glaucous and glandular beneath: stamens 10. July, Aug. 13. C. 

 to Calif. B.M. 7610. Alfred Rehdeb. 



L££A (James Lee, Scotch nurseryman, 1715-1795). 

 Lee&cece. About 20 species of tropical, oriental small 

 trees or shrubs, some of which are cult, as young plants 

 in warm conservatories for their colored foliage and 

 stately habit. Lvs. alternate, 1-3 times pinnate; Ifts. 

 entire or serrate,- tendrils none: fls. small or large, red, 

 yellow or green, in cymes; calyx 5-toothed; petals 5, 

 connate at the base and with the tube of stamens : ovary 

 3-6-celled; cells 1-ovuIed: fr. aberry. ByBenthamand 

 Hooker this genus was placed in the order Ampelidete, 

 which others call Vitaceae. Vitis differs in having the 

 climbing habit, ovary 2-celIed; cells 2-ovuled. The first 

 species mentioned seems to be valued particularly for 

 its fls.: the oilh r iir ic,li:i-( plants which are presum- 

 ably distinct Ih I . iHit 2 of them may not be 



goodbotanicMl ! ■ ! niiiut bedistinguished with- 



out a knowleiiL'' -i ^ im ib^u . ts. 



Leeas are tropical Imuse plants. L. amahiUs has 

 beautiful, silvery, vine-like foliage. It makes a hand- 

 .some plant for pillar-posts, and does exceedingly well 

 planted out ; but it should be given a season of rest dur- 

 ing winter time by a partial drying out, when it will 

 loose most, if not all, its foliage. This pr:ietice slioulil 

 be followed in any case. It may also be ijn.wn ;is a 

 trained specimen in pots. Peaty soil is ..tten ncnri 

 mended, but good light loam, with plenty of drainimc 

 does equally well. 



A. Foliage green. 



cocclnea, Planch. Lvs. 3-pinnate; Ifts. 5 on each main 

 division of the leaf, oblong-lanceolate, dentate, margin 

 recurved: fls. 60 or more in a trichotomous, flat-topped 

 cluster about 3 in. across, scarlet in bud, the 5 spread- 

 ing lobes of the corolla pink above; stamens yellow, ex- 

 serted, each fl. about K in. across. Burma. B.M. 5299. 

 -It begins to flower when only a foot high, but the main 

 stalk of the clusters is only an inch or so long. Adv. by 

 John Saul, 1893. 



AA. Foliage colored or variegated. 

 B. Lvs. marked bright red ; veins white. 



Micholltzii, Hort. Introduced by Sander & Co., 1899, 

 from Guinea, but not distinguished in their description 

 from L. (DiiKbilis, var. splendens, which is probably 

 still cult, iu Eu. 



amAbilis, Hort. Veitch. Lvs. pinnate; Ifts. 5or7, lan- 

 ceohite, acuminate, serrate, upper surface velvety, deep 

 bronzy green, with a broad white stripe; veins white at 

 the bases : young lvs. pale pinkish brown. G.C. II. 

 17:493. Gn. 21, p. 352. Var. 8pl6ndens, Lind., is marked 

 with bright red and has a red stem. I.H. 31:518. 



BB. Lfs. flushnl bronze; veins rosy. 



samhnctna, ^Vil^l ' /.. /I'aihrsiihia, Hort. Sander). 



I.' '" I' in. long, 2}4 in. wide, oblong, 



I mate, coarsely crenate. India, 



M I , , I |i. Australia. A very variable 



-l-.iL. . Ill- ill. L - n iiiviHV is the judgment of M. T. 

 Masters iuG.r. III. 2:1:24.x F.E. 10:554. A. F. 13:1284. 

 Gng. 6:278. T. D. Hatfield and W. M. 



LEEK (Allitim Pomim),a. flat-leaved, bulbous, hardy 

 biennial, is probably a native of the Mediterranean re- 

 gion, where, particularly in Egypt, it has been used tor 

 culinary and medicinal purposes since prehistoric time. 



of 



bulb, lik. 

 blanched ^ 

 nental coo 

 boiled and 

 Except 



:.^ed as a renal stimulant. 

 - are much employed in conti- 



I ■ , ,,riTiL' for soups, stews, etc., 

 I III III -. and in the raw state. 



II I ! Miiin:; our foreign popu- 

 lation, the Leek i- i ■ ' m America. The seed 

 should be sown in n m 1 1 iiiiiued, light, deep, rich, 

 moist loam in a nursery bed or coldframe. The site 

 should be open, the subsoil dry. When six or eight 

 weeks old, or about 5 inches tall, the young plants 

 should be set 9 inches asunder, in drills 3 to 6 inches 

 deep and 18 inches apart. Shortening both roots and 

 stems is often advised. As the plants grow, the .soil 

 should be drawn loosely round the stems and lower 

 leaves to insure blanching. When blanched Leeks are 

 not desired, the plants may be cultivated like onions; 



1254. A papilionaceous flower— Sweet Pea. 



Showing the banner, standard or vexillum ut s : 



the wings at w; the keel at k. 



indeed, except for earthing up, the cultural methods em- 

 ployed for these two crops are identical. Leeks are mar- 

 keted in bunches like young onions and, for winter use, 

 are stored like celery. As a second crop to follow early 

 cabbage, spinach, etc., they are in general favor with 

 market-gardeners. In soups and stews the rank odor 

 disappears, leaving a mild and agreeable flavor. 



M. G. Kains. 



Leek, though of the onion family, and also a biennial, 

 is differently treated and used. The object in its cul- 

 tivation is to develop the leaves in such a manner that 

 they become numerous; the flower-stem does not appear 

 before the second year, hence the necessity of growing 

 it to full size the first year. 



Sow the .seed in March in a seed-bed (with slight bot- 

 tom heat), in drills 2 or 3 inches apart; when large 

 enough, thin out to stand 1 inch apart in the row, as 

 they may attain the thickness of a fair-sized straw. In 

 May or early June the seedlings are trMiisi.lant...! in the 

 open ground; they are then cut li.ili ai' iiivn and 

 shovild also be set deep, so they wil, i iiing 



when they attain a fair size. The.-- I is a 



rich, moist, light loam; prior to tin 1 1 m.- 1.| mi nii; it 

 should be well prepared with well-rotted stable manure, 

 if possible. The plants are generally set in drills 12 to 

 15 inches apart, and 6 to 9 inches apart in the drills. 

 They should be well cultivated, and when jrrowing 

 freely should be earthed up slightly with the hand cul- 

 tivator or hand-hoe. Some of the successful gardeners 

 still cultivate them on the celery -trenching system; by 

 this means they can be watered more thoroughly and 



