Litsea 



( 26) 



Loasa 



are useless for garden decoration, while others are 

 of great beauty. 



Propagation. By seeds ; also by cuttings under 

 glass and division of the perennials. 



Soil. Common soil will answer for the greater 

 number, but some of the Alpine species, such as 

 graminifolium, do best in light soil in a sheltered 

 rock garden. 



Principal Species : 

 canescens, 1', Jy., per., graminifolium, 9", Je.> 



yel., a pretty plant .'(//. bl., a fine Alpine (SI/H. 



Batschia canescens). Moltkia graminifolia). 



Gastoni, 9", Je., bl., wh. prostratum, Je., hay. 



eye, a charming, scarce per., bl., trailer, perhaps 



Alpiue. the most prized on rock- 



work or over an edging. 



Other Species : 



angustifolium, 1', Je., yel. yel., Common Grom- 



hirtum, (i", Je., yel. (;/. well. 



Batschia Gmeliui). purpureo-caruleum, My., 



latifolium, 2', My., yel. Je., per., pur., trailer. 



orwli. rosmarinifolium, 11', Je., 



ofticinale, 1J', Je., grn., ev. per., LI., lined wh. 

 (syn. graminifolium of 

 Eoem. and Schult.). 



LITSEA. 



A large genus of evergreen or deciduous shrubs 

 (ord. LaurineaV) of little horticultural value. The 

 majority of the species are tender, but a few will 

 thrive out of doors if given a sheltered position. 

 Cuttings of half-ripened wood root readily in a 

 close case. Any good soil suits. 



Principal Species : 



ferruginea, 6', hlf-hdy. culata and Tetrauthera 



geniculata, 6', My., hdy., geuioulata). 



yel. (fyiti. Laurus geui- japouica, 3', My., wh. 

 tomeutosa, 4', My., wh. 



LITTONIA. 



A small South African genus (ord. Liliaceas) of 

 herbaceous perennials requiring warm greenhouse 

 culture. The only species cultivated is modesta. 

 It makes succulent branches 3' to 4' long, climbing 

 by means of tendrils from the ends of the leaves, 

 and bears nodding, bell-shaped, orange blossoms 

 from the leaf axils in early summer. A mixture of 

 two parts loam to one each of leaf mould, peat, and 

 sand forms a suitable compost. 



LIVISTONA. 



Fan-leaved Palms (ord. Palmse) of considerable 

 value for decorative work. Upwards of a dozen 

 species are known. They usually make lofty trees, 

 crowned with an immense head of leaves. The 

 two species australis and chinensis are largely 

 grown for house decoration, being most useful 

 Palms for that work. Flowers are not borne until 

 the plants have attained a large size ; they are 

 usually small and yellow, and borne in large 

 quantities on immense branched racemes. The 

 flowers are followed by hard, black, Nut-like fruits. 

 Propagation is by imported seeds sown in heat as 

 soon as received. Good fibrous loam, with suffi- 

 cient sand to ensure porosity, forms the best 

 compost. To this well-rotted manure and |" bones 

 should be added for old plants. When young it is 

 advisable to plunge the pots in a bed of tan over 

 hot water pipes, keeping the house close, warm, 

 and moist. By this means growth is more rapid, 



Lithnea (see Elius). 

 Litobrochia (see Ptcrix). 

 Littcca (see Agave). 



an 1 fine plants are sooner obtained. Care must be 

 taken to gradually harden them off before they are 

 used for decorative work in cold rooms. The 

 leaves should always be kept clean and free from 

 insects. Liquid manure will be found advanta- 

 geous when the pots are well filled with roots. 



Principal Species : 



All enumerated below grow to large dimensions, 

 but under cultivation they are rarely seen exceed- 

 ing 10' or I"/ in height, as after they have attained 

 that height they become too unwieldy for ordinary 

 uses. As the species differ greatly at various 

 stages of growth, it is not of much practical use 

 to describe them individually. 



rmstralis. humilis (syns. inermisand 



chinensis (XI/HS. mauri- Leichardtii). 



tiana and Latania bor- jenkinsiana. 



bouica, fee p. '2.')). Leichardtii (see humilis) . 



mauritiana (sccchiueusis). 

 Woodfordii. 



Other Species : 



altissima. Ratnsayi (see Licuala 



Drudei. Muelleri). 



olivseformis. rotundifolia. 



subglobosa. 

 Woganii. 



LLAVEA. 



Llavea cordifolia, the only species (ord. Filices), 

 is an evergreen intermediate or greenhouse Fern, 

 somewhat difficult to grow. Propagation, by 

 division in spring. Soil, loam- and peat, with 

 plenty of finely broken bricks. No syringing may 

 be done, but an abundance of ventilation must be 

 afforded. 



LLOYDIA. 



Small-growing, hardy, bulbous plants (nrd. 

 LiliaceaV), a few species only being known. These 

 are found in Europe, Asia, and North America, 

 one species being found in the British Isles. The 

 bulbs are small, and bear a few narrow radical 

 leaves. The fiower stem arises from the centre of 

 the bulb to a height of 6", bearing a few small 

 leaves and a solitary white or yellow flower. They 

 are increased by seeds or division, and iike a well- 

 drained sunny border of sandy soil. 



Principal Species : 



alpina, 6", Je., wh. (xi/its. rubroviridis, 6" to 9", 



serotina and striata). My., Je., grn., red. 



groeca, 6", Je., yel. triflora,8",Je., yel., three 



flowers on a spike. 

 LOAM. 



This term is applied by gardeners to almost any 

 kind of soil other than that of a peaty nature. It 

 is usual, when speaking of loam, to use a descrip- 

 tive term with the word, as, for instance, maiden, 

 turfy, fibrous, clayey, light, heavy, black, or brown. 

 For many indoor plants loam forms the principal 

 part of the compost in which they are grown, 

 and the sort preferred is maiden, or the top 4" 

 from old pasture land. As a rule the best is 

 nut brown in colour, a perfect mat of fibres, and 

 neither very sandy nor very clayey. For the 

 majority of indoor plants loam that contains a 

 large quantity of chalk is not to be commended, 

 that with a less proportion being much better. 

 For outdoor work light sandy loam is best for 

 early crops, and that of a heavier nature for late. 



LOASA. 



A genus (ord. Loasacese) including annuals, 

 biennials, and evergreen perennials among its 

 species. All are characterised by the poisonous 

 stinging properties possessed by the leaves and 



