Lidbeckia 



(14) 



Lightfootia 



stove temperature ((>0 minimum) and moist atmo- 

 sphere are essentials to full development, indeed, 

 some of the best examples are very often grown 

 during the summer months with the lower part of 

 their pots in a tank of warm water. Kich, substan- 

 tial, but porous loam is a good rooting medium. 

 Seeds should be sown in shallow pans or singly in 

 small pots and plunged in a brisk bottom heat. 



Principal Species : 

 grandis, 10', Feb., grii., peltata, 6', sum., wh., yel. 



yel. . spinosa, 8', spr., wh., gru. 



Jeannencyi, 6'; very com- (*y. horrida). 



pact grower, new. Veitchii, 6" to 10", stem 



slow growing ; new. 



Other Species are acutifida, amplifrons, elegans, 

 Muellerii, Kumphii, and ternata ; from stems of the 

 first named the celebrated "Penang Lawyers" 

 (walking-sticks) are made. 



LIDBECKIA. 



Greenhouse shrubs or sub-shrubs (ord. Com- 

 positas) of low stature, and of little decorative 

 value. They may be propagated by cuttings in 

 sandy peat under a bell-glass, and like a compost 

 of peat and loam in equal parts, with sand. 



Principal Species : 



iobata, 1' to'2', My., wh., pectinata, 2' to 3', My., 



Ivs. silky (nyii. Cotula Je.. wh., like au Oxeve 



quinqueloba) . Daisy. 



LIETZIA. 



A perennial stove plant (ord. Gesneracese) that is 

 best grown in a mixture of loam, leaf mould, and 

 sand. Increase is by cuttings, seeds, or tubers, 

 giving bottoni heat in each case. 



Only Species : 



brasilien.sis, 1', sum., grn., pur. br. 



LIFTING. 



The work of harvesting root crops consists, in' 

 the first place, of removing such crops from the 

 soil. This is technically known as " lifting," and, 

 as a general rule, it should be performed when top 

 growth has died down or shows signs of having 

 fulfilled its functions. The same term is also used 

 in connection with the removal of trees, shrubs, 

 etc., from nursery rows ; thus autumn and early 

 winter, when deciduous subjects have lost their 

 foliage, is said by nurserymen to be "lifting-time." 



LIGATURES. 



Ties or ligatures used' in training plants or in 

 securing them to stakes so as to prevent injury by 

 wind, etc., should be of such a kind as to fulfil" the 

 purpose intended, but at the same time they must 

 not be drawn so tightly as to check or strangle 

 growth. A favourite method in the case of young 

 trees or shrubs is to pass a piece of cloth or sack- 

 ing round both stem and stake and tie firmly over 

 this with tarred cord ; such ligatures should be 

 renewed once a year. A common form of liga- 

 ture is to pass the cord once completely round 

 the supporting stake and bring the plant into 

 position by means of the loose ends. Another is 

 to pass the cord behind the stake, and cross the 

 two ends between stake and plant before the latter 

 is tied in ; when complete, this ligature forms a 



Lifhtensteinia (see OTnitkoglossiim). 



Liebigw, (see Cldrita). 



Lievena (see Quesnelia}. 



Ligeria speciusa (see Sinningia speciosa). 



figure 8, with the stake in one, and the plant-stem 

 in the other loop. In either case the plant is kept 

 firm, but there is sufficient play to allow natural 

 expansion. Ligatures are made in several ways 

 and also with a variety of materials, such as wire 

 (not recommended), tarred .twine, raphia, and bast, 

 while in the more delicate operations of budding 

 and grafting, raphia, soft string, or coarse worsted 

 is used. 



LIGHT. 



To ensure robust health and fruitfulness ample 

 light is needed by all plants, excepting some fungi. 

 Artificial light, notably that produced by electricity, 

 will enable plants under its influence to elaborate 

 food just as they would under solar light, but 

 possibly in a less degree ; this has been proved in 

 the United States, where large crops of Lettuces 

 grown under glass are illuminated at night by arc 

 light, and are marketable several days in advance 

 of crops depending solely upon sunlight. Longer 

 lived plants would doubtless soon suffer from 

 exhaustion if under the influence of light the whole 

 of each twenty-four hours. Light is necessary for 

 the production of chlorophyll the green colouring 

 in leaves and stems without which the work of 

 breaking up carbonic acid gas into carbon and 

 oxygen, giving off the latter and converting the 

 former into starch, for food, could not be ac- 

 complished (see LEAVES). It will thus be readily 

 understood that the overcrowding of plants in a 

 greenhouse, shrubbery, etc., or of branches in a 

 fruit tree, is very bad, as in each case light is 

 more or less excluded, and weak growth is the 

 consequence. It is most essential that the glass 

 used on all plant houses and frames! should be of 

 good quality, and that the houses be built so as to 

 command as much light* as possible. It is also 

 necessary that the glass be kept clean, especially 

 during autumn, winter, and spring, for while it 

 may be necessary to shade some classes of plants 

 from the brightest summer sunshine, there is never 

 too much light during winter. To properly ripen 

 fruits, solar light is essential, and in most cases 

 increase of colour and sweetness are secured if the 

 foliage be drawn back so as to expose the crop 

 this does not, however, apply to Grapes under glass. 

 Plants in dwelling rooms generally suffer as much 

 from lack of solar light as from impure atmosphere. 

 Most Ferns prefer subdued light ; but green glass, 

 that once appeared likely to become popular for 

 ferneries, is not to be commended ; it is only needed 

 that sufficient shade be given to break up the more 

 direct and brilliant light rays. Attenuated growth 

 and pale foliage are due to deficiency of light, 

 while blanching is secured by excluding light. 



LIGHTFOOTIA. 



A South African genus (ord. Campanulacesc) of 

 dwarf evergreen plants that are nearly hardy, 

 needing only greenhouse protection. Pot in sandy 

 loam and peat. Propagation is by cuttings of 

 young growth, in fine, sandy peat, under a bell- 

 glass. 



Principal Species : 



tenella, 10", Jy., hdy. in South England, hi. (xi/ns, 

 ciliata and Loddigesii and Campanula tenella). 



Other Species : 

 oxycoccoides, 6", Jy., hi. subulata, 4", Aug., bl. 



Lights (see Frames). 



