156 SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENS 
THE MoUNTAIN LAUREL 
The mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is a native of 
the eastern United States and Canada and is one of the 
inost beautiful native plants under cultivation. It is 
found high up among the New Hampshire mountains 
and low down in the rocky marshes of Massachusetts, 
also as far south as Georgia. It is very hardy but grows 
slowly, reaching a height of from five to ten feet. It 
prefers a moist place but may be grown almost any- 
where if not allowed to become too dry in summer. 
Plant in the open or among other shrubbery. The blos- 
soms appear in June and July, the flowers varying from 
pure white to a rich rose. The leaves are broad and 
glossy, and it is very beautiful for bouquets if cut just 
before the flowers open. 
CALIFORNIA PRIVET 
Plant California privet (Liyustrum ovalifolium) in 
October or as soon as the frost is out of the ground in 
the spring. The planting time may be extended to about 
the first of May, depending to some extent upon the 
locality. The privet is hardy in the Northern states 
south of Boston and Chicago. 
Set the plants in single rows one foot apart. Dig a 
trench a foot deep and a foot wide and place three 
inches of well-rotted manure in the bottom of it. Fill 
in with good soil and tramp it down deep enough to 
