A dictionary of modern gardening - University Library

L IC 350 L I L
LICHTENSTEINIA. Two species.
Green-house herbaceous. Seed. Sandy
loam.
LICUALA. Two species. Stove
palms. Seed. Sandy loam.
LIDBECKIA. Two species. Greenhouse
evergreen shrubs. Cuttings. Peat,
and a little loam.
LIGATURES, twisted very tightly
round the small branches of trees, and
the stems of plants, to check the return
of their sap, and thus promote their
fruitful ness, and the size of the fruit,
are much to be preferred to ringing, or
other removals of the bark, wliich cause
wounds and canker. Ligatures should
be removed as soon as the fruit is ripened.
LIGHT has a powerful influence over
the health and life of a plant, from the
moment its leaves pierce through the
surface of the soil. If absent, they become
yellow, or even white, unless
uncombined hydrogen be present, in
which case they retain their verdure.
Sir H. Davy excluded a cos lettuce
from the light. In six days it was ren-
cleansed. The best glass, if dirty, allows
fewer rays of light to pass through
than inferior glass if kept bright.
Solar light is essential to the ripening
of all fruit; it will not ripen in the dark ;
and the greater the light's intensity
and the longer its daily endurance, the
sweeter and the higher is the fruit's
flavour. No fruits are so luscious as
those grown within the tropics, and
the fruits of the temperate zone are excellent
in proportion to the brightness
of its seasons. That light is essential
in causing the colour of the leaves and
other parts of plants, has been noticed
already ; and it aids the ripening process
of fruit in a similar .manner, to
convert their acid and mucilaginous
constituents into sugar : much carbon
and hydrogen have to be got rid of;
and this is effected, if light be admitted,
by the evolution of carbonic acid nnd
watery vapour. How light operates in
promoting this and other decompositions,
which are effected by the vegetable
organs, is at present a mystery ;
but so it is; and the gardener promotes
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dered very pale, and at the end of an- its
other week it was quite white; the power, by removing overshadowing
growth of the plant was checked, and leaves, by employing the best glass in
the analysis of its leaves showed that his hot-houses, and by having their inthey
contained more carbonic acid and jterior whitened for white surtiices re-
;
water, but less hydrogen and residua fleet all the rays of light back upon the
carbon than an equal weight of green objects those surfaces inclose.
leaves.
Almost every flower has a particular
It deserves notice that it has been
proved by the experiments of Dr. Hope
and others, that light from artificial
sources may be concentrated so as to
enable plants to absorb oxygen, and
degree of light requisite for its full expansion.
The blossoms of the pea,
and other papilionaceous plants, spread
out their wings in fine weather to admit
the solar rays, and again close them at
perfect those elaborations on which
their green colour depends and the
;
lightof the moon has a similar influence.
A similar concentrated light will
make the Pimpernel and other flowers,
which close until sunrise, open their
the approach of night. Plants requiring
powerful stimulants, do not expand their
flowers until noon ; whilst some would
be destroyed if compelled to open in
the meridian sun. Of such is the nightblooming
cereus, the flowers of which
petals, and rouse from their rest; a
fact, which gives another reason why
plants in rooms frequented at night become
weak and exhausted sooner than
those which tlien remain, as nature dictates,
unexcited by light.
A deficiency of ligiit decreases the
decomposing power of the leaves. For
speedily droop, even if exposed to the
blaze of light attendant on Indian festivities.—
Princ. of Gardening.
LIGHTFOOTIA. Three species.
Green-house evergreen shrubs. Young
cuttings. Loam and peat.
LIGUSTRUM. Privet. Three species,
and more varieties of L. viilgare.
Hardy evergreen and deciduous shrubs.
Cuttings. Common soil. The evergreen
varieties of L. vulgare make a good
fence. See Hedges.
LILACS. Syringa vulgaris and
Persica. Of these very hardy shrubs
this reason the best glass should always
be employed in the sashes of
the hot-house, conservatory, and other
structures of the forcing department.
But the benefit sought for is frustrated,
if that glass be not constantly well
access as much as lies within his