LAST, 



LAVENDER. 



signate the larva state of lepidopterous insects. 

 These terms, however, are used in a very 

 vague manner. (Penny Cyclo. vol. xiii. p. 338.) 



LAST. An uncertain quantity, varying in 

 different countries, and with respect to various 

 articles. The following quantities of different 

 commodities generally make a last: 12 dozen 

 of hides or skins ; 12 barrels of meal ; 10 qrs. 

 of cole seed; 10 qrs. of corn or rape seed (in 

 some parts of England 21 qrs. of corn go to a 

 lasts); 12 sacks of wool, 1700 Ibs. of feathers 

 or flax. (M'Culloch's Com. Diet.) 



LATHYRUS (from la, augmentative, and 

 thouros, any thing exciting, in allusion to the 

 medicinal qualities of the seeds). This genus 

 belongs to the natural order Legumineae. It 

 consists for the most part of very handsome 

 plants when in flower, well adapted for arbours 

 or shrubberies, where they must be supplied 

 with branches to support them, as they climb 

 by means of tendrils terminating the footstalk, 

 and sometimes without tendrils. Any common 

 soil suits them ; they are increased by seeds, 

 and some of the perennial kinds by dividing 

 the roots. 



The yellow vetchling (L. aphaca) is an an- 

 nual, flowering in June. The plant is glaucous, 

 without any true leaves or leaflets, except near 

 the root. The flowers are solitary on long 

 stalks, small, drooping, lemon-coloured. The 

 pod is an inch in length, nearly cylindrical, 

 smooth, and containing six seeds, which pro- 

 duce intense headache if eaten in any quantity, 

 while the roots of L. tuberosus are said to be 

 wholesome food. (Paxton's Sol. Did.) See 

 VETCHLING. 



Crimson vetch (L. nissolia) is also an annual, 

 flowering in May. It is destitute of tendrils, it 

 has a grass-like form, and bears beautiful 

 crimson flowers, variegated with purple and 

 white. The pod is long and the seeds nume- 

 rous. 



There are five other species of lathyrus : 

 namely, L. hirsutus, L. pratensis, L. sylvestris, L. 

 palustris, and L. latifolms, which is the only one 

 of importance as a garden flower. 



Broad-leaved, everlasting pea (L. latifolius) 

 is a perennial, flowering in July and August. 

 The herb is glaucous, the stem winged, the 

 leaflets broadly elliptical, bluntish, three or five 

 ribbed, and the tendrils in five branches. The 

 stipules are ovate in their upper part, and 

 broader than the stem. The flowers are large, 

 handsome, of a fine rose colour, and in tufts 

 of five or ten. The legume is long, compress- 

 ed, and narrow. It is one of the most showy 

 of the herbaceous species of the pea tribe; and 

 well adapted as an ornament to cottages. 



Several American species of lathyrus are 

 enumerated by Nuttall, among which are, L. 

 myrtifolius found near Philadelphia. L. vcnosns, 

 with about five pair of leaflets. This grows 

 on the declivities of shady hills, and is com- 

 mon in the Alleghany mountains. L. polymor- 

 phus, with naked quadrangular stems, and four 

 or five pair of leaflets. This is found on the 

 grassy alluvial plains of the Missouri from its 

 confluence to its sources. The flowers are 

 as large as those of the Pisum maritimum, and 

 of a fine purple, variable however in size. 

 (Nuttall's Genera.) See EVERLASTING PEA. 

 702 



LAUREL (from the Celtic word blattr the 6 

 is dropped, signifying green, in allusion to the 

 foliage of the plants). This is a very hand- 

 some and interesting genus of plants : among 

 the most interesting and valuable of the hardy 

 kinds, is the bay tree (L. nobilis), which is in- 

 jured by severe frost. (See BAT TREE.) L. 

 benzoin, L. sassafras, and several others are de- 

 ciduous, and in some situations attain a great 

 size. They may be increased by layers or 

 cuttings of the roots. The bark of L. benzoin 

 or spice wood is stimulant and tonic, and in 

 North America it is used in intermittent fevers. 

 In the L. fastens, an acrid red or violet juice is 

 particularly abundant. All the species are 

 more or less aromatic and stomachic. 



The Portugal laurel (Prunus lusitanica), is a 

 beautiful evergreen, which grows from 10 to 15 

 feet high, blowing handsome spikes of white 

 flowers in June and July. It forms a round 

 head, and is very ornamental upon lawns. 



The Alexandrian laurel (Ruscus racemosus) is 

 a dwarf evergreen shrub, growing about two 

 feet high, and blowing a yellow flower, suc- 

 ceeded by beautiful red berries. See KALMIA, 

 CHERRY LAUREL, and SPURGE LAUREL. 



LAURESTINE, Lauristinus, or Wild Bay 

 (Viburnum tinus, said to be derived from vieo, 

 to tie ; because of the pliability of some of 

 the branches). All the species of viburnum 

 are very elegant, rather early-flowering shrubs. 

 The hardy kinds are well fitted for planting in 

 ornamental shrubberies. They are increased 

 by layers or by cuttings planted under a glass 

 in a shady situation. The berries are vio- 

 lently purging, but become eatable after fer- 

 mentation, and are made into a sort of cake 

 by theNorth American Indians. See GUELDER 

 ROSE. 



LAURUS (Sassafras, spicewood, &c.). This 

 extensive genus of shrubs and small trees, 

 which afford the cinnamon, the cassia, and the 

 camphor of commerce, is for the most part 

 confined to the tropical and temperate latitudes. 

 One species (L. nobilis) is found in Europe ; 

 five in Japan ; India affords three of the most 

 important species, long celebrated as spices ; 

 in the Canary islands there are two, the tropi- 

 cal regions of America afford no less than 21, 

 amongst the most remarkable of which is L. 

 caustica of Chili, being poisonous, and the L. 

 Perfea, called avocado, and alligator-pear, pro- 

 ducing a large and very grateful fruit formed 

 like a pear. 



In the Southern States two species are found, 

 one called L. catesbcri, and the other L. Caroli- 

 nensis, or Red Bay. This last, which flowers 

 in July, Mr. Nuttall says he has met with as far 

 north as Sussex county, in the state of Dela- 

 ware. The whole plant is aromatic. See 

 SASSAFTIASS, RED BAT, CAMPHOR TREE, SPICE- 

 WOOD, &c. 



LAVA. The substances which flow in a 

 melted state from a volcano. They vary con- 

 siderably in texture and composition. 



LA VENDER (Lavandula, from lav o, to wash, 

 in allusion to the use formerly made of its dis- 

 tilled water in baths, on account of its fra- 

 grance). The hardy kinds are the only plants 

 of this genus worth cultivating. 



Common garden lavender (L. vera) is well 



