[Illustration: _PRUNUS SERRULATA IN FLOWER. (Spring.)_]
[Illustration: _THE DOUBLE-FLOWERED BIRD CHERRY. (Prunus Padus fl. pl.)_]
-------------------+----------------+----------+--------------------------- | COUNTRY OR | COLOUR | NAME. | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS. | NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. | -------------------+----------------+----------+--------------------------- | | | LAUROCERASUS | | | GROUP. | | | | | | P. ilicifolia |California |White |A tender evergreen with | | |holly-like leaves, but only | | |hardy in warm southern and | | |western countries. It is a | | |small bush, 6 feet to 8 | | |feet high, and has short | | |and erect flower racemes | | |and deep-green leaves. | | | P. Laurocerasus |East Europe |White |A well-known evergreen, too (Cherry Laurel) | | |freely planted in the past, | | |and so vigorous as to | | |over-run the garden in | | |course of years. The | | |varieties are more planted | | |than the type, as they are | | |handsomer. The most | | |distinct are Bertini | | |(latifolia), camelliæfolia, | | |caucasica, rotundifolia, | | |and schipkænsis; the last | | |mentioned is about the | | |hardiest. | | | *P. lusitanica |Spain and |White |A popular evergreen. There (Portugal Laurel) |Portugal | |are four | | |varieties--azorica, which | | |is very tender; coriacea; | | |myrtifolia, small narrow | | |leaves, and bears clipping | | |well. P. ilicifolia is the | | |only plant that need be | | |raised from seed. The | | |Cherry and Portugal | | |Laurels, with their | | |varieties, are usually | | |propagated by cuttings, | | |ripened wood of almost any | | |size being cut into pieces | | |8 inches or so in length, | | |and inserted nearly their | | |full length in the ground. | | |This can be done from the | | |time the wood is ripe | | |enough until the end of the | | |year. Practically every | | |cutting will root and make | | |sturdy plants in a | | |twelvemonth. The Portugal | | |Laurel is also largely | | |raised from seeds, which | | |are gathered when ripe and | | |sown immediately without | | |any preliminary cleaning. | | |If kept in sand until the | | |following spring, they | | |begin to grow before the | | |season is sufficiently | | |advanced to sow them, and | | |if dried, nearly a year is | | |lost before they germinate. -------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------