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

CHAP. VII.

HAving now done with all such Greens, Flower-bear∣ing Trees, Shrubs, and woody Plants, that are of most beauty and esteem, we will proceed to Flow∣ers, beginning with those vulgarly called French Flowers, which are such as have either Scaly, Bul∣bous, Grumous, or Tuberous roots, from whence the Leaves, Stalks, and Flowers do yearly spring, most of them dying even to the very roots shortly after their flower∣ing: and first of Lilies and their kinds, whereof there are many di∣versities, the Martagons being of the same family, out of all which I shall cull the best, and purposely omit the rest as Vulgars, not wor∣thy entertainment: the Crown Imperial is also a kind of Lily, which although it be common and of small regard, yet to follow the exam∣ple of divers good Florists, and to make way for some newer and no∣bler kinds thereof than were formerly known, we will begin this Chapter of Lilies and Martagons therewith, and so pass to the rest in order.

Corona Imperialis.

THe Crown Imperial hath a great round Fox-scented root, from whence springeth up a tall and strong stalk, garnished from the ground unto the middle thereof, with many long shining green leaves, from whence it is naked upwards, bearing at the top a tuft of small green leaves, and under them eight or ten flowers, according to the age of the Plant, hanging down round about the stalk, in fashion like unto a Lily, consisting of six leaves, of an Orenge colour, with many veins of a deeper colour on the backsides of the flowers; next the stalks every leaf thereof hath a bunch or eminence of a sadder Orenge colour than the rest of the flowers, and on the inside those bunches are filled with sweet-tasted clear drops of water, like unto Pearls, each flower having in the middle a stile compassed with six white chives tipt with yellow pendents.

Corona Imperialis flore multiplici.

THe double Crown Imperial is of later discovery and more esteem than the former, and chiefly differeth from it in the flowers, which in this are constantly double, each flower containing fifteen or sixteen leaves, whereas those of the other common kind have but six; the leaves of these double flowers are narrower, with a drop or Pearl at the head of each of them, of the same colour with those of the common kind, and as many flowers on one stalk. The plant at first coming up is redder, and contineth longer so than the ordi∣nary: The green leaves of darker colour, and the tuft on the top above the flowers, bigger, and consisting commonly of more leaves. This is a gallant plant, deserving esteem, although the other is now little regarded.

Corona Imperialis flore luteo.

THe yellow Crown Imperial differeth only from the first common kinde, in that the flowers are of a fair yellow colour, and now more rare than that with double flowers.

Corona Imperialis angustifolia flore rubente.

THe narrow-leaved Crown Imperial, with a reddish flower, differeth from the other single kinds, in that the leaves are much nar∣rower, the flowers smaller and of a light red or pale Rose-colour.

Lilium Persicum.

THe Persian Lily hath a root like unto that of the Crown Im∣perial, but longer, smaller, and whiter, from whence springeth up a round whitish green stalk, beset from the bottom to the middle thereof with many long and narrow whitish green leaves; from whence to the top stand many small flowers, hanging down their heads, each containing six leaves, of a dead or over-worn purple colour, with a pointill and chives in the middle, tipt with yellow pendents.

The Crown Imperial flowereth in the end of March, or beginning of April, and the Persian Lily, almost a moneth after it, they are both increased by assets that come from the old roots, which lose their fibres every year, and therefore they may be taken up after the stalks are drie, which will be in June, and kept out of the ground untill August; they may be set in borders, or corners of large knots, among ordinary Tulips, and other flowers that lose their fibres, that they may be taken up together; the Crown Imperial, especially that with double flowers, is an excellent ornament in the middle of a large Flower-pot, among Daffodills, Tulips, Anemonies, Hyacinthes, and other flowers of that season; the Persian Lily is a flower of small

beauty, and onely received for variety, the dull and heavy colour serving to set off, and cause others to seem the more glorious.

Lilium Rubrum.

THe red Lily is a vulgar flower, and many sorts thereof common in every Country-womans Garden, the which are seldom ac∣cepted by any Florists. There are three other kinds which are of some regard, in respect they bear fairer flowers than any of the other com∣mon sorts; we will insert those only, and pass over the rest as re∣gardless plebeans not worth mentioning.

Lilium Cruentum bulbiferum.

THe fiery red bulbed Lily riseth up from a great white scaly root (as all the Lilies have) with a strong tall stalk, set with many long dark-green leaves, and at the top adorned with many fair large flowers, each composed of six broad thick leaves, of a fiery red co∣lour at the tops, and towards the bottoms of an Orenge-colour, with small black specks, bearing among the flowers, and along the stalk, divers bulbes like little roots, which being set, in time will bring forth flowers like unto those of the original.

Lilium Rubrum flore pleno.

THe double red Lily, is like unto the former, in root, stalk and leaves, but without bulbes, not so big nor of so dark a green colour; it commonly beareth many Orenge-coloured single flowers on one stalk, with many small brown specks on the insides thereof, and some times but one fair double flower, as if the leaves of many flowers were united in one, which although it be but accidental, yet it hapneth in this kind more frequently than in any other red Lily; for if you have many roots of this sort, you will always have some double flowers, and many more in some years than in others.

Lilium Luteum.

THe yellow Lily is like the last double Lily, but taller and bigger, the flowers are many on one stalk, and wholly of a fine Gold-yellow colour; this is more esteemed than any of the former.

Lilium Album.

THe white Lily affordeth three diversities, two besides the com∣mon kinde, which are of more estimation than any of the red Lilies, and for the beauty of the one, and rarity of the other, de∣serve to be regarded.

Lilium Album vulgare.

THe common white Lily is so well known, that it needeth no de∣scription; it hath a scaly root, bigger and yellower than those of the red Lily; the stalk is tall, the leaves broad and long, of a fresh green colour; the flowers are six or eight on one stalk, in an old plant, but fewer in the younger; which in fashion are like those of the for∣mer, but turning back the points of the leaves, which are of an ex∣cellent pure white colour, with a pointell and white chives in the middle, tipt with yellow pendents.

Lilium Album Byzantinum.

THe white Lily of Constantinople differeth from the common white Lily in that it is smaller in all the parts thereof, and beareth more flowers, usually twenty, or thirty on one stalk, which many times will come flat and broad, with a hundred or more flowers thereon, like unto those of the common kinde, but smaller.

Lilium Album flore pleno.

THe double white Lily is in all things like unto the common kinde, the flowers onely excepted, which in this are usually five or six on one stalk, and all of them constantly double, consisting of many small long white leaves, which grow on the foot-stalks one above another, forming a long double flower, the leaves of them are long green, before they open or turn white, and unless the season be very fair, they never open at all; this is esteemed for the rarity of the double flowers, more than for any beauty that is in them.

Martagon.

THe mountain Lily or Martagon is next to be described, whereof there is some diversity; they are divided into two primary kinds, that is those that bear broad green leaves in rundles about the stalks at distances, the which are called mountain Lilies; and others that bear narrow long green leaves, sparsedly set on the stalks, in some bigger, and in others smaller, out of which we will collect the best, and describe them in order.

Martagon Imperiale, sive Lilium montanum majus.

THe Martagon Imperial hath, as all the Martagons have, a scaly pale yellow root; the stalk riseth a yard high, of a brownish colour, beset at certain distances with Caudles of broad green leaves, and naked betwixt; at the top of the stalk come forth, in an old plant, fourscore or a hundred flowers, thick set together, each on a several foot-stalk, hanging down their heads and turning the leaves back again, as all Martagons do, which are thick and fleshy, of a

pale purple colour, with brown spots on the inside, a stile in the mid∣dle, with six yellow chives tipt with Vermillion pendents.

Martagon flore Albo.

THe white Martagon differeth from the former, in that the stalk is greener, the flowers fewer, and not so thick set on the stalk, and are in this, of a white colour with yellow pendents.

Martagon flore albo maculato.

THe white spotted Martagon is very like the last in manner of grow∣ing, only the stalk is brown, and the flowers inclining to a blush colour, with many red spots on the insides thereof, in no other re∣spect differing from the former.

There are some other varieties of the Martagons or mountain Lilies kept in vulgar Gardens, which are not worth the mentioning, these three sorts being the most acceptable.

Martagon Canadense maculatum.

THe spotted Martagon of Canada may serve to bring up the rear, and follow the mountain Lilies, for that the green leaves grow on the stalk in rundles; the root of this stranger is smaller, and the stalk lower than any of the former, bearing four or five flowers on long foot-stalks, in form like a red Lily, hanging down their heads, of a fair yellow colour, with many black spots on the inside, a poin∣tell and six chives tipt with red pendents.

Martagon Constantinopolitanum.

THe Martagon of Constantinople hath a great yellowish scaly root, from whence springeth up a brownish stalk, beset confusedly with many something large round pointed green leaves; on the top of the stalk come forth three, four, or more flowers, on long foot∣stalks, hanging down their heads, and turning the leaves back again, which are of a fair Orenge-colour, deeper in some than in others, with a pointell and six chives tipt with yellow pendents; this is common in every ordinary Garden, and had not been here inserted, but to make way for a better kinde thereof.

Martagon Constantinopolitanum maculatum.

THe red spotted Martagon of Constantinople differeth from the other, in that the flowers are larger, more on a stalk, of a deeper Orenge, or Scarlet colour, and thick specled on the inside, with ma∣ny small black spots, which addeth very much to the beauty of the flower.

Martagon Panonicum.

THe Martagon of Hungary is like the last in root, leaves, and form of flowers, onely the leaves are larger, and thinner set on the stalks, the flowers much bigger, and of a bright pale Orenge-colour; this as it is the rarest of all the Martagons, so is it the hardest to come by.

Martagon Virginianum.

THe Virginian Martagon hath a close compacted, round, scaly, pale, yellow root, from the sides whereof, more frequently than the top, come forth the stalks about three foot high, sparsedly set with whittish green leaves, bearing at the head three, four, or more something large flowers, turning back like that of Constantinople, of a Gold yellow colour, with many brown spots about the bottoms of the flowers, with the points or ends of the leaves that turn up, of a red or Scarlet colour, and without spots; this is a tender Plant and must be defended from Frost in Winter; there is another of this kind that beareth more flowers on one stalk; differing from the former, in that these are of pale colours but spotted as the other.

Martagon Pomponium.

THe Martagon of Pompony hath a great yellowish, brown, scaly root, from whence springeth up a green stalk, two or three foot high, promiscuously thick set with many small, long, green leaves almost to the top, where stand many flowers, in number ac∣cording to the age of the Plant; for in some that have stood long unremoved, I have had fourscore or an hundred flowers on one stalk, which are of a yellowish Orenge-colour, with small black specks on the inside thereof, in fashion like to the red Martagon of Constantinople, but smaller; there is some variety in this Plant, for some of them have broader and shorter green leaves than others; and there are others that flower a fortnight after the most common, and best known of this kinde.

Martagon Luteum punctatum.

THe yellow spotted Martagon hath a great scaly root like that of the last, but bigger; the stalk riseth up in the same manner with broader green leaves, the flowers also are of the same size and fashion, but of a pale, greenish, yellow colour, with many black specks on the inside thereof, and not so many on one stalk as the former.

Martagon luteum non punctatum.

THe yellow Martagon without spots differeth onely from the other, in that the flowers of this are all of that pale, greenish, yellow

colour, without any specks or marks; these yellow Martagons for variety may be admitted, and were they as pleasing to the scent, as they are to the sight, would be of more esteem than now they are; there is one other variety of this yellow Martagon, which differeth only in the time of the flowering, which is not untill July, and in that the flowers are of a fairer and deeper yellow colour.

All these Lilies, and most of the Martagons, flower in June; that of Pompony is the earliest, which flowereth towards the end of May; those of Constantinople are later, as about the end of June or beginning of July; and that of Virginia the last of them all, whose time of flowering is in August.

They are all increased by the roots too fast, being strong and har∣dy Plants, except that of Canada and that of Virginia, both which are very tender and unapt to thrive or live at all in our Country; the roots of all the other hold their Fibres, and therefore do not affect to be often removed, which when there is occasion to do, the best time is as soon as the stalks are fully dry, for then they will have fewest Fibres; these scaly roots must be set reasonable deep, four or five inches over the head in the earth, which every other year should be opened down to the bottoms of them, not hurting or stirring any of the Fibres, and all the off-sets and young roots taken away, the mother root only left, unto which some richer earth may be then conveniently put before it be covered, by this means the flowers of the old root will be fairer, and many more on one stalk, the ground not pestered, and new Plants gained.

As for these tender Martagons of Canada and Virginia, they will not endure to stand abroad, but must be planted in the richest and hotest earth can be gotten, in Boxes or large Pots, and set in some Seller in the Winter where they may not Freez.