Flora, seu, De florum cultura, or, A complete florilege, furnished with all requisites belonging to a florist by John Rea, Gent.

Phyllirea Variegata.

THe Variegated or striped Phyllirea is the most beautiful of all the kinds, and therefore in this place to be described as deserving a Case, and to stand among the fairest Greens: for the other sorts (fit onely to form ever-green Hedges) you will find in the end of this Volume among Greens more vulgar. This fine Plant riseth (if suf∣fered) to the height of a Man, thick set with small branches, and those with small ever-green leaves constantly edged and striped with white, and may by the Shears be fashioned into what form you affect.

The Myrtles blossom about the middle of August, and continue flowering commonly untill the middle of December: the Indian yellow Jasmine flowers about the same time; and the striped Phylli∣rea, whose glory consists in the variegated ever-green leaves, is at all times a choice object of delight, and hardy enough to be planted at large, where a little defended from Snows and Frosts, it will endure the Winter as well as the more ordinary kinds.

All these Plants are commonly set in Cases, and with Orenges and tender Plants housed in Winter, and increased by Layers after the manner before directed. The best time to transplant the more har∣dy kinds of Greens is about the Tenth of March, and for the more tender to be set in Cases toward the end of April: the Earth you set them in must be fresh, and such that hath long lain on an heap well mixed with good old Neats dung, often turned and well mixed un∣till throughly rotted; but before this Earth be put into the Cases, it must be skreened or sifted, and a good quantity of short sticks of Oler, Withy, or any other soft wood, else broken bricks, pebble∣stones, and such like rubbish, laid in the bottom of the Cases to draw away superfluous moisture and prevent clogging, which would rot the smaller fibres, and spoil the Plants, if not destroy them. Small sticks also cut short must in some quantity be mingled with the Earth, wherewith fill the Cases within three inches of the top; these sticks will keep the Mould hollow and from clinging; which done, rase or cut the bottoms of your Roots, and artificially set your Greens and other tender Plants therein, but not too deep by any

means, rather chusing to leave some part of the Roots uncovered, than to place them too much under ground; as soon as they are set water them, and keep them shelter'd from Wind and Sun untill they have taken root; after a fortnight you may by degrees acquaint them with the Air, and when you find they have gotten strength, set them abroad. The same order is to be used with such Layers as you shall take off to plant in Cases in August.

Commit your Cases with Orenges, Myrtles, and other tender Plants, betimes, before the first Frosts, to their Winter-quarters the Conservatory, but shut them not up in the day-time especially, unless constrained by Fogs or Frosts, which lasting long, you must on fairer days acquaint them again with the Sun and Air by degrees; during extreme Frosts, and when Water will freeze in your Conser∣vatory, in default of Stoves or raised Hearths, you must attemper the Air with Pans of Charcole, especially at night, let the Coles be half burnt out before the Pans be placed, and then not set too near the Plants. In March, when the great Frosts are past, open the doors, and give them Sun and Air by degrees, a little at first, which increase with the Spring; about the end of April set them forth, and wash them clean (especially the Greens) with a Watering-pot from dust and cobwebs; and you must not forget while they are in the house to water them gently, especially in November, and after long Frosts, but let not the water touch the Leaves of any of the Greens, and chuse rather to give housed Plants too little water than too much. As soon as the Heats begin, cover the Earth in the Ca∣ses some considerable thickness with Moss, it will keep the Earth moist and from clinging, and water them as you find cause. Every Spring and Autumn, that is, a little before you set forth your Plants, and before you house them, you must take some of the Earth out of the Cases, and open the rest with a Fork or other fit tool, not hurting the roots of the Plants, and fill them up again with rank Earth, two parts Dung, well rotted and preserved for that and such like purposes.

These are the Rules observed by Mr. John Rose, the ingenious Keeper of the Garden at Essex-house in the Strand, where is now to be seen under his regiment a most noble Collection of the choicest Greens and rarest Shrubs that are planted in Cases, in a most healthy and flourishing condition.