LAUREL. 37 



and the bed should be guarded from frost 

 by any light litter, such as pease, haulm, &c. 

 being thrown over it. The young plants will 

 appear in the spring, and may be transplanted 

 in the following autumn. 



Cuttings should be planted as soon as the 

 ground has been moistened by the autumnal 

 rains, which generally happens in the month 

 of September. The cuttings must be the 

 same year's shoots, with a small part of the 

 former year's wood at the bottom ; a soft loamy 

 soil is recommended, and they should be 

 planted about six inches deep, and the earth 

 should be pressed tight to the plants. 



The common laurel is not without advo- 

 cates for its medicinal properties; but on ac- 

 count of its known poisonous quality, we 

 strongly decry the use of it, excepting by the 

 advice of those whose time has been devoted 

 to the study of medicine ; and with them it is 

 well known that the most beneficial effects 

 are often produced by means of plants which 

 would prove the most baneful in the hands of 

 the ignorant. Linnseus informs us, that this 

 plant is commonly and successfully used in 

 Switzerland for pulmonary complaints. Lan- 

 grish mentions its efficacy in agues. 



Baylies found that it possessed a remarkable 

 d 3 



