SASSAFEAS 



BAY LAUREL OBDEB 



LAUBus 775 



4-lobed. Stamens or staminodes usually twice as many as the perianth 

 segments. Fruit a 1-celled, 1-seeded berry or drupe. 



SASSAFRAS (Sassafras Tree).— A 

 genus with only one species here de- 

 scribed : — 



S. officinale (Laurus Sassafras) . — This 

 is an ornamental deciduous tree 15-20 ft. 

 high, native of the Eastern United States, 

 with deeply furrowed rough aromatic 

 bark. Leaves alternate, penniveined, 

 ovate entire, or rather 3-lobed, very vari- 

 able. Flowers dioecious, greenish-yellow, 

 in short loose racemes. Perianth tube 

 very short with 6 nearly equal segments. 

 Stamens in the male flowers and stami- 

 nodes often in the female ones 9 with 4- 

 ceUed anthers. 



Culture and Propagation. ■ — ■ This 

 handsome tree flourishes in ordinary good 

 garden soil, and may be increased by seeds, 

 suckers, or root-cuttings. The cuttings 

 should be put in sandy soil under a bell- 

 glass and covered over ; and wiU root 

 more readily if placed in bottom heat. 

 The suckers should have as many roots 

 as possible and be planted in a shady border 

 in autumn. In Virginia a beer is brewed 

 from the young shoots, and oil is extracted 

 from the fruits for perfumery. 



UMBELLULARIA. — This genus 

 also contains only one species : — 



U. californica [Ocotea calif ornica ; 

 Oreodaphne calif ornica). — Californian 

 Sassafras or Bwy Tree. — This fine Cah- 

 fornian tree, said to attain a height of 100 

 ft. in a wild state, is probably much better 

 known in this country as Oreodapline 

 californica. Leaves ' alternate lance- 

 shaped oblong, shghtly narrowed at both 

 ends, 2-5 in. long, remarkably reticulated 

 and emitting a powerful and agreeable 

 Camphor - like odour when bruised. 

 Flowers in June, greenish-yellow, herma- 

 phrodite, in solitary hoary pubescent or 

 smooth unabels. Perianth tube very 

 short, with 6 nearly equal segments. 

 Stamens 9. 



Culture and Propagation. — This tree 

 grows only 6-20 ft. high in this country 

 and cannot be considered hardy far north 

 of the Thames Valley. It may be grown 

 against a south wall in rich sandy loam, 

 so that it obtains as much heat and 

 shelter as possible. In the south of 

 England and Ireland it should prove 

 fairly hardy in ordinary winters. It may 



be increased by cuttings of the shoots in 

 early summer in sandy soil under glass, 

 kept close and shaded for a time. Also 

 from seeds if obtainable. The leaves are 

 said to be used for making ' Bay ' water. 



LAURUS (Bay Laurel). — A genus 

 containing two species of evergreen trees 

 with alternate penniveined leaves and 

 dioecious or hermaphrodite flowers in 

 clusters or short racemes. Perianth 4-6- 

 lobed. Stamens in the male flowers 12 

 or more, aU fertile, rarely 8 ; staminodes 

 in female flowers often 4. Fruit an ovoid 

 fleshy berry, siu-rounded by the persistent 

 base of the perianth. 



L. nobilis {Victor's Lam/rel or Sweet 

 Bay Tree). — A well-known ornamental 

 and aromatic evergreen tree or shrub 

 30-60 ft. high in its native state in S. 

 Europe. Leaves oblong lance-shaped 

 acute, veined, pleasantly scented, and 

 having a somewhat bitter but aromatic 

 taste. Flowers in early summer, yellow- 

 ish, inconspicuous. There is a narrow- 

 leaved variety called migustifoUa. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 Victor's or Bay Laurel must not be con- 

 fused with what is commonly known as the 

 Cherry Laurel {Prwnus Lauro-Cerasus) 

 described at p. 360, or Portugal Laurel 

 (Prunus hbsita/nica), p. 360. It is practi- 

 cally hardy in most parts of the country, 

 although it is not infrequently cut down 

 with severe frosts in bleak situations. For 

 some reason or other it is not thought 

 so much of by British as by Continental 

 gardeners, and in this country is often 

 seen smothered in shrubberies instead of 

 being planted in groups or beds by itself, 

 or as isolated specimens. It thrives in 

 rich, sandy, well-drained loam, especially 

 in warm places sheltered from bleak and 

 biting winds. It may be increased in 

 early summer by cuttings of the shoots 

 inserted in sandy soil under a handlight, 

 kept close and shaded for a short time 

 until they have rooted. As may be seen 

 from the botanical characters of the genus, 

 the Sweet Bay may have either dioecious 

 or hermaphrodite ilowers. In the former 

 case it is necessary to have the plant with 

 female flowers fertilised by the poUen 

 from an hermaphrodite or stamen-bearing 

 plant before seeds can be produced. 



