f 



O N 



parallel to the midrib, which is not fituatcd exactly 

 in the middle, but diverges to one fide-, the foot- 

 ftalks of the flowers arife imniedi;uely from the root, 

 on one fide the leaves ^ tliefe are naked, about five 

 inches long, adorned toward their upper parts with 

 pendulous white flowtTS, ranged on one fide the llalk, 

 which decline to one fidc; each flower {lands upon a 



Ihort 



footflalk, which are 



bending 



feparate 



crooked. Hie flowers are of the fliort bell-fliaped 



kind, their brims being reflexed> v/hich are (lightly 



cut into fix parts ; they have fix fi:amina, which are 



inferred in the petal of the flower, and are fiiortcr 



than the tube, and a fingle fl:yle arifing from the 



germen, which is triangular, crowned by a three- 

 cornered lligma ; the germen afterward becomes a 



globular berry, of a red colour when ripe, inclofing 



three roundifii feeds. It flowers in May, froni whence 



it has been titled May Lily. The feeds ripen in au- 1 one fide of the ftalk, and on the oppofice fide com 



tumn. The flowers of this fort are ufed in medicine; j out the foot-ftalks of the flowers,^ which are about 



an inch long, dividing at the top into three or four 

 fmaller, each fuflainin<^ a finp-le tubulous flower, cut 



N 



■ 



which is faui;to grow naturally in I'ngland, bi:r 

 I doubt ours is different from th.:: mcniioned by Cal- 

 par Bauhin under thai tirio ^ for in two places where 

 I have found it growing, the fl:alks were much 

 fliorter, the leaves were broader, and their borders 

 turned inward, and this difference continues in the 

 garden where it grows in the fame foil and fituation 

 with the common ibrt. 



The fifth fort is the common Solomon's Seal -, this 

 liath a flen:iy white root, as large as a man's fino-cr, 

 which multiplies in the ground, and is full of knots, 

 from v/hence it Iiad the nanie of Polygonatum, or 

 many knees. In the fpring ariie feverai taper ftalks, 

 which grow near two feet high, adorned with oblong 



oval leaves, placed alternate, having many longitu- 

 dinal veins running parallel to the m.iddle, and em- 

 brace the fl:alk with their bafe ; thefe are ranaed on 





i 



they are cflreemed cephalic and cordial, fo are re- 

 commended for palfies, epilepfies, and ibafms ; there 

 is prepared a conferve, and a compound difl:illed 

 water of the flowers. This compound water is by 

 the Germans titled aqua aurea, or golden ivater^ be- 

 caufe of its excellent virtues. 



There is another variety of this mentioned with nar- 

 row leaves, which I fjppofe may arife from the. foil, 

 or fituation, for the roots which 1 have taken up in 

 places where they have naturally narrow leaves, when 

 planted in the garden, have produced leaves as broad 

 as the common fort 3 but the fort with red flowers 

 has confl:arttly continued the fame above forty years, 

 without any variation. The flowxrs of this are fmaller, 

 the ilalks are redder, and the leaves of a darker green 

 than thofe of the common fort ; but as I have not 

 propagated this fort by feeds, I cannot be fure if it is 

 a difl:inct fpecies, or only a feminal variety. 

 The fecond fort I received from the Alps, where it 

 naturally grows; this has retained its difference in the 

 garden, where it grew in the fame foil and fituation 

 with the common fort, fo I make no doubt of its 

 being a diftind; fpecies. The other with a double va- 

 riegated flower is fuppofed to be only a variety of 

 this, therefore I have not enumerated it as a different 

 fort, but the flowers are much larger, and beautifully 

 variegated with purple and white. I received a plant 

 of this fort from the royal garden at Paris, which has 

 flowered feverai years in the Chelfea garden, but the 

 roots do not increafe fo much as the common fort. 

 Thefe plants require a loofe fandy foil, and a fhady 

 fituation ; they are propagated by parting of their 

 roots, which multiply in great plenty. The befl: time 

 to tranfplant and part the roots, is in autumn. TJiey 

 fhould be planted near a foot afunder, that their roots 

 may have room to fprcad, for if they agree with the 

 foil and fituation, they wUl meet and fill the ground 

 in one year. If thefe roots'are planted in a rich foil, 

 they will fpread and multiply greatly, but will not 

 be lb produftive of flowers. ^ . ; ;.. . . 

 The only culture which thefe plants require, is to 

 keep thejii clean from weeds, and to tranfplant and 

 feparate the roots every tlfird or fourth year, other- 

 wife they will be fo greatly matted together, as not 

 to have proper nourifliment, fo the flowers, will be 

 fmall, and few in number. 



The third fort is a native of the Alps and Appennines •, 

 the ftalks^ of this (w^hen growing in good ground) 

 generally rife three feet high ; they are taper, and 

 garniflied with oblong oval leaves placed alternate, 

 embracing the ilalks with their baic •, they have fe- 

 verai longitudinal veins, reftmbling the' leaves of 

 white Hellebore : the foot-fl;alks of the flowers are 

 produced from the wings of the leaves, which fupport 

 tour or five flowers on each j thefe flowers are larger 

 tiian thofe of the common fort, but their tubes are 

 more contrafted, and are fucceeded by pretty large 

 berries, which when ripe turn of a bluifli colour; it 



flowers in May and June, and the feeds ripen in au- 

 tumn. . ' 



The fouitli fort is the hroad-Icavcd Solomon's Seal, 



"' "^^ \X- A 



into fix parts at the brim, where it is green, the lower 

 part of the tube being white ; they have each fix 

 flender fl:amina5 furrounding a fingle ityle, which 

 arifes from the germen, and is crowned by a blunr 

 fl:igma ; the germen afterward becomes a round berrv, 

 about the fize of Ivy berries, each inclofing tlirce 

 ieeds. This flowers in May, and the feeds ripen in 

 autumn, and then the fl:alks decay. 

 TheTix'th fort rifcs with an lipright fl^alk about two 

 feet high, garniflied with long narro\V leaves, which 

 fl;and in whorls round the fl:alk ; there are generally 

 five of thefe placed at each joint, which are four 

 inches long, and half an inch broad, fmooth, and of 



The flowers come out from the fame 

 joints. Handing upon fliort foot-fl:alks, each fupport- 

 ing five or fix flowers, which are fmaller, and have 



a light £rreen. 



*^^ 



much fliorter tubes than either of the former forts ; 

 they are of a dirty white, tipped with green, and 

 flightly cut into fix parts at the top. It grows na- 

 turally in the northern parts of Europe. 

 The feventh fort grows naturally in mofl: parts of 

 North America ; I have received plants of this from 

 New England, Philadelphia, and feverai other places. 

 This rifes with an upright ftalk near two feet high, 

 garniflied with oblong leaves, ending infliarp points; 

 they are near five inches long, and two and a half 

 broad, having three large longitudinal veihs, with 



feverai fmaller between, which join at both ends. 

 The leaves are alternate, ftanding clofe to the flialks, 

 and are of a light green on their upper fide, but are 

 paler on their under. .The flowers are produced in 

 branching fpikes at the extremity of the Ilalks, each 

 being compofed of feverai fmall loofe fpikes of ftar- 

 like flowers, of a pale yellow, which ' fall away 

 without producing any feed. This flowers the latter 

 end of May, or the beginning of June, and the fl:alks 

 decay in autumn ; but the root is perennial, and pro- 

 pagates by oflTsets. 



The eighth fort is a native of the fame countries as 

 the lafl: mentioned ; this fends up fl:alks two feet high, 

 garniflied with many oblong leaves embracing the 

 Italks with their bafe. The flowers are produced in 

 fingle fpikes at the top of the ftalks, which are in 

 fliape and colour like thofe of the feventh ; but thefe 

 are fucceeded by fmall red berries, about the fize of 

 thofe of the Lily of the Valley. This fort flowers 

 the beginning of June, and the berries ripen in au- 

 tumn. - , 



All the forts of Solomon*s Seal ^re very hardy plants ; 

 they delight in a light foil and a fliady fituation, fo 

 are very proper to plant in wildernefs quarters under 

 tall trees, where if they are not crowded by lov/cr 



fhrubs, they will thrive and multiply exceedingly, and 

 during the fummer feafon will make an agreeable va- 

 riety, the whole appearance of the plants being very 



Angular. 



They all multiply very fiifl- by their creeping roots, 



efpecially when they are planted in a proper foil and 



fituation. The belt time tc tranfplant and part the 



fO0t% 



V 



