Systema horti-culturæ, or, The art of gardening in three books ... / by J. Woolridge, gent.

CHAP. IV. Of Tuberose Rooted Flowers.

AFter having passed over those curious Plants and Flowers, that are with the least pains and Care to be planted, propagated and preserved, I shall now give you a brief Account of such that are a little more difficult to be managed, yet require they no more trouble than they sufficiently recompence with their most pleasant Flowers: The most select whereof is the Anemone.

SECT. I. Of Anemones.

THE Anemone, which is a Grecism, signi∣fying Wind, thence it is called the Wind Flower, for that it is observed never to open, but when the wind blows, or at least in those Countries where it is naturally produced, it may have that property. It was in great e∣steem amongst the Ancients, for the beauty of its Flowers mix'd in their Chaplets and Garlands,

although then there were not a tenth part of that variety of them, that now the curious have collected and propagated.

It is one of the Beauties of Nature, and the most excellent that Season can afford, bear∣ing such different Flowers, that they make the cold March almost equal in Glory to the Sum∣mer, which is a wonder that such soft Flowers and Tyrian and Scarlet Dyes should be produ∣ced in so early a Season, which are usually the effects of a continued Calidity.

What angry Deity did first expose, To the rough Tempests and more rigid Snows, The soft Anemone, whose comely Grace, A gentler Season and a better place Deserves: for when with native purple bright, It shews its Leaves to the propitious light, With different Colours strip'd and curled Flames, Encompass'd it our love and wonder claims. There is not any other that outvies This Flower's curl'd Leaves or numerous Dyes, Nor the Sidonian Art could e're compose, So sweet a blush as this by Nature shows.

As of the Tulips, so of these, the best way is to please your self in your Election from the view of them. The usual descriptions can ne∣ver sufficiently nor satisfactorily inform you of their real worth.

They are generally of two sorts, broad leav'd Anemones, and narrow leav'd Anemones, those with narrow leaves much resemble Pars∣ley,

whence they were anciently called Rose Parsley, or the Parsley Rose.

The Soil wherein they delight must be fat and rich, manured with Sheeps dung, and Neats dung, with a little mixture of Lime, all thorowly rooted.

About the end of September, or beginning of October, you may plant your Latifoles, or broad leav'd Anemones about three fingers deep, and about a Month after your Tenui∣foles or narrow leav'd Anemones which yield their Flowers after the other.

But if you design to have them more early, you may plant them sooner, and with Mats secure them against the Cold, and give them all advantages of the Sun and warm Rains, for the Frosts are very apt to nip their Leaves when above ground, and impede their flow∣ering for that year.

If you desire Anemones to flower late, then keep them out of the ground as long as you can, some will abide out of the ground until February or March, and plant them in shady places, or artificially shade them. Thus you have Anemones after the usual natural time of flowering.

When their green Leaves turn yellow, or about the end of June, or in July, you may take them up, and preserve the Roots dry, till the season for interring them, for after they have lost their Fibres, they are apt to perish by the humidity of the Earth: the place you keep them in ought to be cool as well as dry.

It is very injurious to the Latifoles to break their Roots, which should only be parted as they are naturally apt to be divided, but the Tenuifoles will endure an easie Rupture or Scis∣sure.

If you preserve your Anemone Roots in a cool place, until the middle of January, and then plant them, they will be the more se∣cure from the injuries of bad weather; much Wet prejudiceth as well as severe Cold.

As your Anemones are prejudiced by over∣much Wet, so do they require and deserve a little irrigation in very dry Springs, and will sufficiently gratifie you; a little shade will al∣so advantage them in the hottest time of the day.

In May will these Flowers bear Seeds, which gathered and sown in July, in good sifted Earth, in Beds or Boxes, will produce great Varieties in the third or fourth year after.

Mix the Down that contains the Seeds, with some fair dry Earth, and rub it together in a wooden Vessel, and the Seeds will mix with the Earth, by which means you may sowe them equally; be sure to sow them not too thin.

After you have sown your Seeds, sift Earth upon them about half a finger in thickness; when they have been come up about a Month, sift more Earth finely over them about half an inch, and cover them at some distance all the next Winter.

The August following, you may remove them into convenient Beds, where they may remain till they bear Flowers, at which time you may cull them as you please.

Forget not a gentle irrigation of your young Anemones in dry Weather, for it will much forward them, as will a little artificial shade at opportune Seasons.

The Ranunculus or Crowfoot, being so near in resemblance to the Anemone, differ very little from them in their ordering.

They exceed all Flowers whatever in the richness of their Colours, nor is there any Flower so fine and fair, as are the larger sorts of them.

Their times of Flowering, taking up, and planting, are near about the same time as the Anemones, but they agree better with a richer Mold than the other.

They are not so apt to multiply their Roots, unless their Ground be rich and light; there∣fore it is by the most skilful prescribed, to lay a broad bed of old Thatch or almost rotten Straw, and on that to sift fine rich Earth six or eight inches thick, and therein to plant your Ranunculus's, wherein they will thrive and increase.

If you plant them early in the Winter, they must be defended from the sharp Winds and Frosts, but if late, there is no necessity of it, they are somewhat more tender than the Anemone.

Irrigation in a dry season, much ad∣vantages this Flower, as it doth the Ane∣mone

SECT. II. Of Peonyes.

THis although a common Flower, yet yields the fairest and most double Blos∣som of any, and very well becomes your Chimney or Flower-pots. But the White, purple, and changeable Peonyes are acceptable in the Gardens of the best Florists, and the single Peonyes in the physick Garden, for their specifical virtues of their Roots against the most dange∣rous of Diseases.

The manner of their planting and ordering is known to most that have any interest in a Garden, only it is necessary to understand, that September and october are the fittest times for their transplantation

Notes

• Rapinus.
• Of Ranun∣culus.