Lycium 



(40) 



Lygeum 



LYCIUM. (Box THORN.) 



A large genus (ord. Solanacea;^ of hardy, decidu- 

 ous, climbing shrubs, often spiny. Very few of 

 the species are of any value, and of the two or 

 three that are grown barbarum is the only one 

 that is at all common ; it is usually met with upon 

 house fronts, where its thicket-like growth and 

 long, straggling shoots are sufficiently conspicuous. 

 The flowers, although freely produced, are small. 

 Cuttings of the ripened wood will root freely if 

 dibbled into a bed of sandy soil in a cold frame in 

 autumn, and kept close through the winter. 

 Layers and suckers may also be depended upon. 

 Any well-drained soil will suit. 



Principal Species : 

 afrum, 6' to 10', Je., Jy. , barbarum, My. to Aug., 



hlf.-hdy. , erect, spiny climbing shr., pur., yel., 



ehr., crim. to vio. flowers in pairs. 



pallklum, S', gru., pur. 



Other Species : 

 chinense, My., pur.; close Aug. erect, spiiiy shr., 



to europseum (!/>< vio. 



trewiamnn). fuchsioides (see lochroma 



europanim, 10' to 12', My., fuchsioides). 



trewianum (see chinense). 



LYCOPERDON. (PUFF-BALL.) 

 Of the species that belong to this genus of 

 Fungi (Hymenomycetes), several are common to 

 Britain, gemmatum being the one usually met 

 with. Giganteum is the one that generally figures 

 in newspaper reports of mammoth Puff-balls, and 

 frequently grows to a great size and weight. 

 Gemmatum is usually rejected with scorn by the 

 searcher after Mushrooms, although it is edible ; 

 giganteum is more frequently eaten, although it is 

 only whilst it is young that it is edible. The 

 fibrous centre of the "ball" is regarded as an 

 excellent styptic for flesh wounds, and in many 

 parts of the country Puff-balls are collected for 

 this purpose. They are so common naturally that 

 no cultivation is needed. 



LYCOPERSICUM. 



Although botanists recognise several species in 

 this genus (prd. Solanacese), one only, escnlentum, 

 the popular Tomato or Love Apple, is of note. 

 Full information will be given under the heading 

 of TOMATOES, so there is only need for a mere 

 mention here. Whatever poisonous properties this 

 species may have originally possessed, they have 

 been reduced by long years of careful cultiva- 

 tion, and now there is no more wholesome fruit or 

 vegetable. 



LYCOPODIUM. (CLUB Moss.) 

 Description. Stove, greenhouse, and hardy per- 

 ennial plants (prd. Lycopodiacese). To botanists 

 they are chiefly interesting as the remains of 

 a once extensive genus, many of whose members 

 are now extinct. They are seldom cultivated, 

 and appeal but little to the gardener, although 

 several pretty plants are still available. The plant 

 commonly spoken of as Lycopodium is really a 

 Selaginella S. kraussiana, which see. The ex- 

 plosive substance known as Lycopodium powder 

 and used in scenic and theatrical effects, is borne 

 by the plants as spores. 



Propagation. By cuttings. The tips of growing 

 branches may be taken off and rooted in well- 

 drained pans of fibrous peat and sand, in the 

 same way as Selaginellas. A constant temperature 

 of about 70, with shade, and uniformly moist 



conditions, is necessary to ensure free rooting. 

 Also by spores, sown on prepared pans of sterilised 

 soil, kept moist in a warm, close frame. 



Soil. Fibrous peat two parts, sand one part, 

 chopped sphagnum moss one part. A surfacing of 

 tips of living sphagnum is also needed. 



Other Cultural Points. Plenty of water must 

 be given during spring, summer, and autumn, but 

 little will be required in the winter, as the moss 

 attracts and holds the moisture of the atmosphere. 

 Teak wood baskets, 3" or 4" in depth, are the most 

 convenient receptacles, and the plants should be 

 hung up close to the light. Shade in summer. 



Principal Species : 



clavatuin, 1' to 3' long, Selago, 3" to 4", erect. 

 ~ itish Club British Fir Club Moss. 



creeping. British 

 Moss, Wolf's Claw. 

 Phlegmaria, 1', st. 



squarrosum, 1', st. (;/*. 

 Hookeriand Hippuris). 



Other Species : 



alpiuum, 2" to3"; British. miniature Spruce Fii 



aimotiuurn, 6" to 8"; (SI/H. dendroideum). 



British. scariosum, 9" to 2', grh. 



cernuum, 8" to 30", st. taxifolium, 9" to 12", st. 



obscurum, hdy. ; like a verticillatuin, 1' to H', 

 st.; drooping. 



LYCORIS. 



A small genus of bulbous plants (nrd. Amaryl- 

 lidese), needing a greenhouse temperature for the 

 most part, although sangninea and squamigera will 

 grow out of doors in a dry, sheltered nook under a 

 south wall. Aurea, the Golden Spider Lily of 

 America, requires stove heat, and must be rested 

 after growth has ceased. Propagation is by offsets 

 and by seeds. Soil, equal parts of loam and leaf 

 mould, with sand. The pots must be thoroughly 

 drained. Several of the species have given rise 

 to handsome varieties, which bid fair to become 

 popular. 



Principal Species and Varieties : 

 aurea, 1', Aug., Sep., st., jappuica and Amaryllis 



yel , coming lief ore Ivs. radiata) . 



(*)/. Amaryllis aurea of alba, wh., yel. 



Jintanical Mayi:i>ie variegata, crim., wh. 



409). squamigera, 2', Jy., Aug., 



radiata, H', Je., grh., hlf-hdy., ro., lil. ; fra- 



pk. or sc". (syns. Neriue grant (syn. Amaryllis 



Hallii of gardens). 

 purpurea, li',lil., pur. 



Other Species and Variety : 

 sanguinea, V to U',Jy., purpurea, pur. 



Aug., hlf-hdy., dull red. Sewer/.owii (now Ungcr- 

 m'a trisphsera). 



LYDA. 



A genus of Sawflies whose larvna work a great 

 deal of damage to various fruit and forest trees. 

 Pyri and nemoralis attack stone fruits generally, 

 especially Plums, also Apples, Pears, and Thorns, 

 whilst campestris and erythrocephala prey upon 

 Willows, Birches, and Alders. The larva; group 

 themselves together in colonies, spinning a web to 

 cover the whole colony, whilst each larva has 

 its own particular web inside. They have no legs, 

 but only two claspers which serve the functions of 

 legs. Hand-picking is the best remedy, and 

 affected leaves should be burned. 



LYGEUM. 



There is only one species of Lygeum (nrd. Gra- 

 minerc), and it is a hardy perennial Grass of no 

 particular decorative properties. Its only value is 

 economic, since it furnishes Albardine, a principal 

 ingredient in the making of paper. This must 



