TREES AND SHRUBS. 



221 



viz., exactly those of the common Laburnum ; others 

 similar in size, but of a dull purplish colour ; and, 

 again, others quite like those of (Jytisus purpureus. 

 Laburnums thrive in almost any soil or situation, 

 and are readily raised from seeds. Any of the above 

 varieties, or others which it is thought desirable 

 to propagate, must be budded on seedling stocks. 



Laurus {Bay). — This genus contains but a couple 

 of species ; one being a native of the Canary Islands ; 

 and the one here mentioned, L. nobilis (the Sweet 

 Bay, the Laurel of ancient poetry), of the Mediterra- 

 nean region. Of this fragrant, aromatic evergreen, 

 there are several varieties varying somewhat in the 

 form of the leaves ; angustifolia, crispa, salicifolia, 

 and variegata have names which sufficiently indicate 

 their peculiar characteristics. The plant formerly 

 known as L. Benzoin, the Spice-bush of the Northern 

 United States, is now placed in the genus Lindera 

 under the name of Lindera Benzoin. Laurus Sassa- 

 fras, the Sassafras of the same botanical region as 

 the Spice-bush, is also removed from the genus 

 Laurus ; its proper name is now Sassafras officinale. 



Ledum. — There are only some four or five 

 species in this genus, which is confined to the cold 

 regions of the northern hemisphere. All are pretty, 

 low-growing, evergreen shrubs, and require a damp 

 peat border for their successful cultivation. L. lati- 

 folium has oblong or elliptical leaves, clothed with 

 rusty wool beneath, and terminal umbel-like clusters 

 of white flowers ; this is a native of North America. 

 L. palustre, the Labrador Tea — so called on account 

 of its leaves being used as a substitute for tea — is 

 common in the cold swampy bogs of Northern Europe, 

 Asia, and British North America ; it is readily dis- 

 tinguished from L. latifolium by its dwarfish habit 

 (about two feet high, whereas L. latifolium attains as 

 great a height as five feet), narrower leaves, and in 

 having ten stamens instead of five. 



Leiophyllum buxifolium— the Sand-Myrtle 

 of New Jersey— is a charming dwarf-growing ever- 

 green, with small glossy Box-like leaves, and white 

 or pink-tinted flowers, in terminal umbel-like 

 clusters. It hardly attains a foot in height, and 

 seems to thrive best in a sandy peat border; it 

 is perfectly hardy and very floriferous. In many 

 nursery catalogues this species will be found under 

 its old, but incorrect, name of Ledum buxifolium. 



Lespedeza. — By far the most desirable garden 

 plant of all the twenty-five species of this rather 

 showy genus is L. bicolor, perhaps better known in 

 gardens under the name of Desmodium penduliflorum ; 

 this grows to a height of six feet or more, and 



produces a profusion of rosy-purple, Pea-shaped 

 flowers, in long, terminal, branched panicles. There 

 is also a totally different plant cultivated in gardens 

 under the name of L. bicolor, but it is hardly worthy 

 of being described here. The true plant is a native of 

 North China and Japan, and a comparatively recent 

 introduction to British gardens ; it is quite hardy. 



Leucothoe. — About eight species of Leucothoe 

 are known to botanists, and all of them are well 

 worth a place in the peat border. Provided lime is 

 absent, L. axillaris and L. Catesbcei will thrive in 

 ordinary loam, but all seem to grow more freely in 

 a peaty soil. L. axillaris has spinosely-serrated, 

 shortly-stalked, oblong or oval, evergreen leaves, 

 and axillary racemes of white flowers, opening in 

 May. L. Catesbcei has conspicuously stalked ever- 

 green leaves, the margins of which are serrulate, 

 with spinulose appressed teeth, and long racemes of 

 white flowers exhaling the somewhat unpleasant 

 odour of Chestnut blossoms. Both are natives of the 

 Northern United States; have long, spreading, or 

 recurved branches, and grow from two to four feet 

 high ; they make *dense masses, and are fine objects 

 when planted along water-courses, or in damp woods, 

 where they make a good cover for game. 



Leycesteria formosa — a handsome, deciduous 

 Himalayan shrub — grows freely under tall trees, and 

 bears an abundance of white, purplish-tinted flowers, 

 followed by deep purple berries, of which pheasants 

 are said to be fond. It grows four to six feet high, 

 and is well worth a place in any shrubbery border. 



Ligustrum {Privets) . — This genus contains about 

 twenty-five species of ornamental, deciduous, or ever- 

 green trees or shrubs, natives of Europe, temperate 

 and tropical Asia, and Australia. Several of them 

 are amongst the most useful shrubs we have — viz., 

 L. ovalifolium and L. vulgar e, which are such good 

 hedge plants ; L. Japonicum and L. lucidum are hand- 

 some subjects, best seen when grown as single 

 specimens, and allowed to develop to their fullest 

 extent. All are readily raised from cuttings planted 

 in sandy soil in August or September, in the open 

 air ; the choice variegated forms (of the leathery- 

 leaved evergreen species especially) are generally 

 grafted in pots under glass, and afterwards hardened 

 off for outdoor decoration. L. Lbota is a pretty 

 Japanese slender- twigged shrub, with a spike-like 

 inflorescence ; it is cultivated in its native country 

 principally as a food-plant for a wax-producing 

 insect. L. Japonicum is a beautiful evergreen with 

 dark, glossy, leathery leaves ; there are two or three 

 different variegated forms of this species. L. 

 lucidum, a Chinese plant, sometimes in the South 



