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that are so well known to exist in Lettuce 

 do not occur except to an infinitesimal 

 extent in the succulent young leaves that 

 form so agreeable a salad, hut when the 

 flowering stem is thrown up, the sap he- 

 comes milky and bitter, and its narcotic 

 properties are then more fully developed. 

 The sedative effects of Lettuces appear to 

 have been known from the earliest times 

 of which we possess any record. Venus, 

 after the death of Adonis, is reported to 

 have found rest for her love-distracted 

 mind by throwing herself upon a bed of 

 Lettuces. Virgil and Columella both 

 mention the Lettuce as proper to be eaten 

 as a sequel to more savoury viands, at the 

 end of a repast, as well as for their soporific 

 qualities ; and Pliny relates that Augustus 

 was cured of an illness by the use of Let- 

 tuces, prescribed by his physician, Musa. 

 The popular opinion respecting the pro- 

 perties of these plants is maintained in 

 our own times by the doggrel that tells us 



for want of rest 

 Lettuce and cowslip- wine probatum est. 



Indeed, a substance called Lactucarium or 

 Lettuce Opium is prepared from the dried 

 juice of some of these plants, especially L. 

 virosa, and is occasionally used as a mild 

 narcotic or sedative where opium is in- 

 admissible. 



There are a few British species of this 

 genus of which mention may be made, 

 such as L. muralis, sometimes called 

 Prenanthes muralis, distinguished from 

 the other British species by its thin stalked 

 leaves, and the short beak to the fruit. 

 The name of this species would imply that 

 its usual habitat was on walls, but it is also 

 frequent on banks, and in hedgerows. 

 L. virosa has sessile prickly leaves, and a 

 spreading panicle; it occurs in hedgerows, 

 and by roadsides, but not abundantly. 

 L. saligna is yet more uncommon in this 

 country; its panicle is so contracted as to 

 resemble a spike. [M. T. M.] 



The Garden Lettuce, commonly called 

 L. sativa, is a hardy annual, whose native 

 country is unknown with certainty, al- 

 though it is generally supposed to be Asia. 

 It has been cultivated in England since 

 1562. The plant has large roundish or 

 roundish-oblong entire slightly-toothed 

 milky leaves, which in some varieties are 

 of a deep green, while in others they are 

 of a dingy brown colour. The flower-stera 

 is round, about three feet high, the flowers 

 pale yellow and corymbose. Lettuces ap- 

 pear to have been known and used for salads 

 i at a very early period. According to Hero- 

 ; dotus, they were served to the royal tables 

 ] of the Persian kings more than 400 years 

 before the Christian era. It is also record- 

 ed that they formed the opium of Galen, 

 the celebrated Greek physician, in a.d. 200, 

 and it was probably the consideration of 

 this historical fact which led to the dis- 

 covery in our day, by the late Dr. Duncan 

 j of Edinburgh, of the drug called Lactu- 

 I cariutn, prepared from the juice of the Let- 

 | tuce. The ancient Romans knew but one 

 • sort of Lettuce, and this was a variety 



with dark-coloured leaves, which they sua 

 pected of having an injurious effect on 

 i those who ate it ; but after the Emperor 

 | Augustus was said to have been cured by 

 I the free use of Lettuces, suspicion of their 

 j deleterious qualities vanished, and great 

 I efforts were made not only to cultivate 

 them, but to blanch them so as to remove 

 ; their bitterness, and thus render them more 

 palatable. 



The first English writer on gardening 

 who has noticed the Lettuce is Gerarde in 

 1597. He describes eight varieties as being 

 then cultivated. The number has since 

 greatly increased, and year after year new 

 i and improved sorts are brought forward 

 I to supply the places of those which have 

 degenerated and are considered unworthy 

 of further cultivation. The whole have 

 been arranged in two divisions or groups, 

 namely, Cabbage Lettuces, comprising all 

 those which have round leaves, and form a 

 compact head resembling a cabbage; and 

 Cos Lettuces, those having firm and crisp 

 upright oblong leaves, folded over one 

 another. The latter are preferred for 

 salads, while the cabbage kinds, from 

 being more flaccid and milder, are preferred 

 for soups. Although containing but little 

 nourishment, Lettuces are universally es- 

 teemed for their emollient and cooling 

 properties, and they are always in great 

 demand. [W. B. B.] 



LACUNA (adj. LACUNOSE). A large 

 deep depression or excavation. 



LACUNOSO-RUGOSE. Marked by deep 

 broad irregular wrinkles, as the shell of 

 the walnut, or stone of the peach. 



LACUSTRIS. Growing in lakes. 



LADANUM, or LABDANUM. A resinous 

 product of Cistus creticus, and other species. 



LADENBERGIA. A genus of Cinchonacece, 

 consisting of trees inhabiting Peru. The 

 characteristics of the genus reside in the 

 limb of the calyx, which is very small, 

 somewhat bell-shaped, with triangular 

 teeth ; and in the ovary which is surmoun- 

 ted by an eight-lobed disk. [M. T. M.] 



LADY'S BEDSTRAW. Galium verum ; 

 also Phamaceum Hollugo. 



LADY'S BOWER. Clematis Vitalba. 



LADY'S COMB. Scandix Pecten-Yeneris. 



LADY'S CUSHION. Armeria vulgaris. 



LADY'S FINGERS. Anthyllis Yulne- 

 raria. 



LADY'S GARTERS. Digraphis arundi- 

 nacea variegata. 



LADY'S GLOVE. Digitalis purpurea. 



LADY'S HAIR. Briza media. 



LADY'S LACES. Cuscuta. 



LADY'S LOOKING-GLASS. Specularia 

 hybrida. 



LADY'S MANTLE. Alchemitta vulgaris. 



LADY'S NAVEL. Umbilicus pendulinus. 



