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OF all Bulbous-rooted Flowers the Tulip hath obtained, and not undeservedly, the preference, yielding so great a Variety, that they are not here to be enumerated, eve∣ry year producing new Flowers. Nor is it all the words I can invent, can convince you of the beauty of these Glories of Nature, but must refer you to the choice your self, or Friend for you, can make out of that Magazine of Varieties that are collected by the ingenious Florists.
Their Colours are various, from the deepest dye of any other Flowers to the purest White, intermixt with the brightest Yellow, transcen∣dent Scarlet, grave Purple, and many other compounds of these inclining to the Blew and Green.
Many double Tulips are now raised, where∣of there is some variety.
Their Season of blowing continues long, the Praecoces or early Tulips, beginning some of them to blow at the Vernal Aequinox, the Medias which are the prime, continue all A∣pril, and sometimes the half of May, till the end whereof the Serotines or late flowring Tu∣lips continue.
When the principal of them display their Colours in the heat of the day, there is not a more glorious sight in Nature, nor is it to be imitated by Art, no Limner, nor Painter dares pretend to so great skill: But as all things else that are in excess are soonest apt to decline, so these that exceed all others in beauty and lu∣stre, soonest fade; not any of them continu∣ing in its Glory above eight or ten days, un∣less the mildness of the Weather, or some arti∣ficial shade preserve them; nor are they suc∣ceeded by any other from the same root.
Tulips are not only preserved by taking them up yearly, when the stalks are turning yellow, or begin to be dry, but are by that means mul∣tiplied and increased exceedingly. The usual way is to take them up at that convenient time, and spread them thin on some board or
floor until they are through dry, then cut off the stalks, and so let the roots lye in some box or boxes, or other convenient places until Sep∣tember, or October, in a dry place, but not in the Sun or Wind; then separate the main Bulbs from the lesser Chives, taking all that are large (and round though small) for Roots that will yield you Flowers the next year, and set them in the places appointed for them, but let the ground be digg'd or otherwise loosened, that the Root may the better dilate it self and en∣crease, for in a narrow or stiff hole, your Root will remain till the next year as you left it.
It is not good to take them up after they have shot their Fibres or small Sprigs, until after they have flower'd, lest it hinders their flowring, and perhaps perish them.
When you plant them, stick into the ground by them small sticks marked with the numeral Letters, which you may do ad infinitum, and in a small Book for that purpose, may you in∣sert the mark and name of the Flower.
When you take them up and disperse them into Boxes or other Receptacles, you may transfer the marks with them.
The ground you plant them in, ought not to be too luxurious; this Noble Flower is con∣tent with a little Room and poor Soyl.
In the worst Mold this Flower better thrives, And berren Earth miraculously gives
More beauty to it, than a fertile ground, And when least strong, it is most comely found.
The vulgar field or hazle Earth, with a little mixture of Sand in it is best, for the rich∣ness of the Soyl causes them to run (as they term it) into dark and plain Colours. But if your ground be naturally rich, or that your Tulips have grown several years in it, you may abate it, and supply it with that which is fit, or lay a bed of sandy Earth about a finger thickness below the bulb, when it is in its proper place, that so the Fibres may receiv a check. Tulips may be raised in January and February on hot beds, but they must be the praecoces that are to flower early.
Some prescribe to plant your Tulips in a natural Earth somewhat impoverished with Sand, so that a little below the root the Earth may be better within reach of the Fibres.
If the ground be digg'd where your Tulips stood the last year, it is equal to a change of Mould, the Roots rarely falling into the same Earth again where they were before.
Your small Cions or Off-sets you may plant in a Bed by themselves, which will furnish you at another time with great variety
As Tulips run or degnerate, take them up and plant them in your outward Groves, your prime Colours will multiply fast enough.
Tulips that are apt to decline towards a sad∣der Colour, may be taken up a little before they come to flower, and laid in the Sun to a∣bate
their luxury, which will make them come better the year following.
From such Tulips that have their Tamis, (that is, the seed-like things that stand up about the Seed-Vessel) and bottoms of dark Colours, and their Seed-Vessel three square, may Seeds be obtained when they are thorough ripe in June or July, that may after a long expectati∣on afford you great variety of Flowers. These Seeds may be sown in September, and every two years removed until they yield Blossoms; but this labour and patience are too great for an ingenious, and fit only for a dull Florist.
The often removing of the roots of Tulips and their Off-sets into various ground, gives you a great encrease, and great variety of Co∣lours, without that tedious way of raising them.
It is not good to let a Tulip stand too long after it hath blown, lest by weakning the root it may prevent its blooming the next year.
The next of kin to the Tulip is the Fritilla∣ry, whereof there is some variety, as the white, yellow, red, dark coloured, some of them checquered, and thence called the checquered Tulip, but the double is the most rare; their seasons and manner of ordering much like that of the Tulip, only the dry Roots ought to be planted about the beginning of August.
2. Of Tri∣talines.