CHAPTER XLIV. 
THE LAUREL. 
The American Laurel.—Density of its Growth.—Its Resemblance to 
the Box.—A Name Derived from its Uses.—Description and Prop- 
erties of its Wood.—Soil and Climate of Thrift.—Its Seed and Flow- 
er Described.—Care Necessary to its Raising.—Sheep Laurel.—A 
Contrasted Difference. — Properties of its Leaves.—The Great Lau- 
rel.—Region of its Abundance.—Climate and Situation Congenial 
to its Growth.—Its Attained Height.—Its Floral Productiveness.— 
The Rose Bay.—Its Elevated Home.—Its Diminutive Height.—Its 
Beautifying Advantages.—Soil Unfavorable to its Thrift. —The 
Carolina Laurel Described and Qualified. 
THE AMERICAN LAUREL. 
Tus shrub grows in such thick and unwieldy masses 
that it is almost impenetrable, as its thick, unyielding 
branches interlock with each other; it reaches some- 
times to the height of eight or ten feet, and some claim 
that in the Southern States it reaches even higher, but 
this I cannot vouch for, as I have never seen it. Torrey 
claims that it attains the height of twenty feet in the 
Catskill Mountains, and Bryant speaks of Jaurel that was 
fifteen feet high and had a diameter of three inches. 
The laurel very closely resembles the box, more so 
than any other of the American trees, and in fact it is 
well fitted to supply its place. It is often called spoon- 
wood by the backwoods settlers, as they manufacture a 
great many of their rude kitchen utensils from it; it 
is hard, close grained, and takes a fine polish. It will 
survive in most any soil except limestone clays, and 
thrives best with a slight northern exposure, its leaves 
being more brilliant and thicker than when exposed to 
