788 



OPEN FLOWER-GARDEN. 



spring. The variegated varieties of officinale 

 are increased by budding or grafting them on 

 stocks of the original. Any common garden- 

 soil is suitable for them. J. nudicaule is valu- 

 able for flowering during the whole of the win- 

 ter, and on this account, as well as its being less 

 hardy than some others, it should be planted 

 against a wall. 



Kerria. — A deciduous yellow-flowering shrub. 

 Propagated readily by division of the plant, by 

 suckers and layers, as well as by cuttings of the 

 young wood ; planted in sand, and placed under 

 a hand-glass ; thrives in any ordinary garden- 

 soil. 



Laurus. — Vide page 746. 



Lavendula. — Dwarf evergreen shrubs. Pro- 

 pagated by pulling the old plants to pieces, and 

 inserting them in the ground in March or begin- 

 ning of April ; also by cuttings of young shoots 

 an inch and a half long, which, inserted in sand 

 in June, and covered with a hand-glass, will 

 root before the end of the season, when they 

 should be planted out in lines, and finally plant- 

 ed out the season following. These make not 

 only the nicest plants, but also the most durable. 

 A poor light sandy soil is the most proper for 

 this and all aromatic plants. 



Lavatera. — The shrubby section of this genus 

 is propagated by cuttings set in sandy soil, and 

 covered with a hand-glass. 



Leiophyllum. — A hardy evergreen shrub, pro- 

 pagated by cuttings, and also by layers; a peaty 

 soil is that in which it prospers best. 



Leycesteria. — A half-hardy evergreen shrub; 

 propagates itself abundantly by shedding its 

 seed, by seed sown in March, by cuttings of the 

 young side-shoots planted in May, in sandy soil, 

 under a hand-glass; prefers a light sandy soil, 

 and slight protection during winter in cold 

 localities. 



Ligustrum. — Evergreen and deciduous shrubs, 

 propagate freely by cuttings of the young shoots, 

 also by seeds, which may either be sown when 

 ripe, or kept over winter in sand, and sown in 

 spring. The common privet strikes by cuttings 

 of the last or previous season, planted in a 

 shaded border in November : grows in any soil, 

 however poor, and also under the shade of trees 

 better than most plants. 



Liquidambar. — Deciduous trees of low growth, 

 chiefly increased by cuttings and layers. When 

 imported seed can be procured, much better 

 plants are produced. The seeds should be kept 

 in their catkins till the time of sowing, remain- 

 ing often a year in the ground before vegetating. 

 They succeed best in a moist loamy soil. 



Lonicera. — Deciduous shrubs, most of them of 

 a twining character and rapid growth, propa- 

 gated by cuttings of the ripened wood, and also 

 by layering in autumn, the cuttings being placed 

 in a somewhat shaded situation. Layering is 

 preferred for such kinds as have soft pithy 

 wood ; they all prefer a good loamy soil. 



Menispermum. — Hardy deciduous twining 

 plants, of rapid growth, propagated by cuttings 

 in spring, placed under a hand-glass, by division 

 of the roots, and by seed when it can be pro- 

 cured ; elegant twining plants, too seldom met 

 with in our gardens. 



Myrica. — Low-growing shrubs, propagated by 

 cuttings, layers, division of the plant, and seeds, 

 which should be sown as soon as ripe ; a moist, 

 sandy, or peaty soil is the most proper for them. 



Myricaria. — Low evergreen shrubs, propa- 

 gated by cuttings of the young wood, either in 

 spring or autumn ; if covered with a hand-glass 

 so much the be tter. Soil, sandy loam, leaf-mould, 

 or sandy peat. 



•Negundo. — Deciduous trees of moderate 

 growth ; propagated by seeds, which should be 

 sown as soon as ripe ; also by layers, requiring 

 a moist deep sandy loam. 



Nemopanthes. — An exceedingly ornamental 

 deciduous shrub, too seldom met with in our 

 gardens ; propagated by layers in autumn, also 

 by seed, either sown when ripe, or kept in dry 

 sand till spring. 



Nyssa. — Deciduous trees, propagated by layer- 

 ing in our nurseries, but much better plants are 

 obtained by importing the seed : a damp deep 

 soil is suitable for them. 



Pceonia. — The Moutan section, or shrubby 

 deciduous sorts, are of great beauty, and suffi- 

 ciently hardy to stand our ordinary winters, in 

 most situations, with little or no protection. 

 In colder localities they succeed well against a 

 north wall, a situation they eminently deserve, 

 on account of the great splendour of their 

 flowers. Being natives of China, they become 

 naturally excited very early in spring, and when 

 planted on south-aspected walls this disposition 

 is encouraged ; while by planting them against 

 north walls it is retarded to a later period, and 

 hence such escape the late spring-frosts. Pro- 

 pagation is effected by grafting this section on 

 the roots of the herbaceous sorts (vide Root- 

 grafting, p. 334). They are also struck by cut- 

 tings of the young wood in spring, removing 

 with each a small portion of the last year's 

 wood, and placing them under a hand-glass, 

 moderately shaded, till the rooting process com- 

 mences. They are also increased by layers and 

 suckers ; each layer should have a ring of bark 

 removed from around each bud ; and if not too 

 deeply covered with soil, each bud will become 

 a distinct plant. They are also sometimes struck 

 from single eyes, after the manner of vines 

 {which see). 



Paliurus. — Deciduous shrubs of moderate 

 growth, propagated by suckers, by cuttings, 

 layers, and seeds sown in any common garden- 

 soil. 



Paulownia. — A deciduous tree, of moderate 

 growth, very much resembling Catalpa, and 

 scarcely so hardy. It has stood as a lawn plant 

 in the garden at Dalkeith for several years, but 

 has neither bloomed here nor elsewhere in Scot- 

 land that we are aware of, and only in a few 

 places in England. Propagated by seed im- 

 ported from Japan, and probably from single 

 eyes, layers, or cuttings, like Catalpa. A warm 

 and sheltered situation is necessary, and a soil 

 by no means rich. 



Pavia. — Deciduous trees and shrubs, propa- 

 gated by seeds, layers, and the rarer kinds by 

 grafting on the horse-chestnut. In the latter 

 case, the operation should be done early in the 

 spring, before the sap of the stock has begun to 



