232 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



unnecessary, as when the earlier sown batches get overgrown and 

 untidy, all that is required is to cut the long growths off with 

 the hedge-shears, and in the course of a few days, new growths, 

 bearing an abundance of flower, will be produced. During hot, 

 dry weather they must not be allowed to suffer from want of 

 water, and at this time, occasional applications of weak liquid 

 manure will prove advantageous. 



Varieties of the Sweet Pea are now innumerable, and may 

 be obtained either separately or in mixed colours varying from 

 pure white, as in Emily Henderson, to dark maroon, shaded with 



black, as in Stanley. Captain of 

 the Blues produces large handsome 

 flowers, and is said to be the finest 

 Blue in existence. Cupid is a very 

 dwarf variety of Sweet Pea, growing 

 only about 5in. in height ; it is a 

 wonderfully free blossomer, bearing 

 large waxy pure white flowers. There 

 are several other species of Lathyi'us 

 that are annual, and although none 

 of them rival the Sweet Pea in point 

 of beauty, some of them form verv 

 pretty border plants, such for instance 

 as L. tingitajiiis^ with red and purple 

 flowers, growing 3ft. high, and flower- 

 ing in June and July. 



Lavatera tri:mestris (Fig. 124) 

 is an annual, growing from 2ft. to 

 3ft. high, producing an abundance 

 of laro-e rose-coloured flowers in 

 June. It thrives well in a rich, 

 lisfht soil. The seed may be sown 

 in the open border either in the 

 autumn or in early spring. It is 

 a valuable subject for large borders, 

 and for planting in wild gardens, (Sic. 

 There is also a variety known as 

 alba^ with beautiful snow3'-white flowers. 



Lavia elegans is a composite annual, growing ift. high, and 

 flowering from ]May to August : it has yellow flowers, bordered 

 with white. Z. glaiididosa has beautiful pure white flowers, and 

 forms a profuse-flowering plant for beds and borders, remaining 

 for a long time in blossom. 



Leptosiphox. — The plants usually found under this name are 

 dealt with under " Gilias.'"' 



Limnaxthes Douglasi is a dwarf annual, o;rowin2; from 6in. 

 to 8in. high, and producing yellow flowers shaded to white, and 



Fig. 124. — Lavatera 

 trimestris. 



