718 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. 



p. 1550.) Miller, in 1752, says, "In warmer countries, this tree \\ill <_ r ro\\ 

 to a large size; so that in some parts of Italy there are large woods of them ; 

 but we cannot hope to have them grow to so large stems in England ; for, 

 should these trees be pruned up, in order to form them into stems, the frost 

 would then become much more hurtful to them than in the manner they 

 usually grow, with their branches close to the ground : however, if these 

 trees are planted pretty close together, in large thickets, and permitted to 

 grow rude, they will defend each other from the frost, and they will grow to 

 a considerable height ; an instance of which is now in that noble plantation of 

 evergreen trees made by His Grace the Duke of Bedford at Woburn Abbey, 

 where there is a considerable hill entirely covered with laurels ; and in the 

 other parts of the same plantations there are a great number of these inter- 

 mixed with the other evergreen trees, where they are already grown to a 

 considerable size, and make a noble appearance." (Diet., 6th edit., art. 7 J a- 

 dus.) Bradley mentions that the common laurel was grafted on the cherry, and 

 on the plum, in Mr. WhitmiU's garden at Hoxton ; and this practice is fre- 

 quent among the Parisian gardeners ; but the plants, especially when grafted 

 standard high, never live more than a year or two. It is a remarkable fact, 

 that the three shrubs, or trees, which constitute the principal evergreens of 

 the London gardens, and which are to be found in every garden, large or 

 small, without exception, viz. the holly, the common laurel, and the Portu- 

 gal laurel, are found to be rather delicate in the neighbourhood of Paris ; and 

 hence the suburban gardens of that city are totally destitute of broad-leaved 

 evergreens, and have a naked and cold appearance in the winter season, which 

 is particularly and strikingly unpleasant to eyes accustomed to the clothed 

 and cheerful aspect of our English gardens at that season. The same ob- 

 servations will apply to the gardens in Germany, Holland, and Belgium ; in 

 which latter country, though holly hedges have been formed in some places, 

 yet, in severe winters, they are liable, in common with laurels and all our other 

 broad-leaved evergreens, to be killed down to the ground. (Les Agremem dc 

 la Campagne, &c., p. 205.) 



Properties and Uses. In Britain, the common laurel is considered one of the 

 most ornamental of our evergreen shrubs ; and it is also used for covering 

 walls, and for hedges, to afford shelter ; for which last purpose it is extensively 

 used in the market-gardens about Isleworth. Evelyn mentions a fine hedge, 

 planted alternately with the variegated and the common laurel, and trained 

 so as to have a chequered appearance, white and green ; which, according to 

 the taste of his time, was reckoned to have a splendid effect, though the 

 variegation of this shrub is very irregular, not constant, and attended, in 

 general, by mutilated leaves. He also says it may be trained so as to resem- 

 ble the most beautiful headed orange tree in shape and verdure, and prognos- 

 ticates that, in time, it may emulate some of our lofty'timber trees, and be 

 proper for walks and avenues. Cook, also, says that it is " a glorious tree 

 for standards ;" but we need only refer to what Miller says on the subject (see 

 above), to show that these two authors were mistaken. The most gem-nil 

 use of the common laurel, at present, is as an undergrowth in ornamental 

 woods ; and for this purpose it is employed, on an extensive scale, at Clare- 

 mont, at Bagshot Park, at Stourhead, at Wardour Castle, at Woburn Abbey, 

 and at a number of other places. At Claremont, the laurels are mixed with 

 holly and box trees, which are allowed to grow up as standards, while the 

 laurels are kept low. The effect of this, more especially in the winter season, 

 is delightful, particularly on the sunny sides of the wooded banks. It is 

 easy, while walking through these woods, to mistake midwinter for early 

 spring. In the woods at Stourhead, the laurel undergrowths are unmixed with 

 any other tree or shrub, except large beech trees ; and the effect of a mass 

 of shining evergreens beneath these lofty beeches, though powerful, is yet 

 extremely monotonous. At Wardour Castle, the laurels grow among a mixed 

 assemblage of trees and shrubs : they are cut down periodically; and they are 

 found to make excellent fuel and fence-wood. Laurel leaves have a bitter 



