FLOWEES. 255 



CHAP. XXVTI. Of many and diverse flowers, and of some trees 



ivhich yeeldc otiely a flower, and hoiu the Indians 



do vse them. 



The Indians are great lovers of flowers, and in New L . 

 Spaine more than in any other parte of the worlde, and there- 

 fore they are accustomed to make many kindes of nosegaies, 

 which there they call Saddles, with such prety varietie and 

 art, as nothing can be more pleasing. They have a cus- 

 torae amongst them, that the chiefest man offer their Suchiles 

 or nosegayes in honour to Noblemen, and to their guests ; 

 and they presented vs with such aboundance as we passed 

 through that Country, as we knew not what to doe with 

 them ; and at this day they vse the principall flowers of 

 Castill to that end, for that they grow better there than 

 heere, as gilliflowers, roses, iasmins, violets, orange flowers, 

 and other sortes which they have transported out of Spaine. 

 The rose tree groweth too fast in some places, so as they 

 beare no roses. It chaunced one day that a rose garden was 

 burned, and the sprouts which sprouted out, presently bare 

 aboundance of roses, and thereby they learnd to prune 

 them, and to cut off the superfluous braunches, so as at this 

 day they yeeld reasonable store of roses. But besids these 

 kindes of flowers, which have beene transported from hence, 

 there are many others whose names I do not know, whereof 

 some are red, blew, yellow, violet and white, with a thousand 

 different colours, which the Indians did vse to carry on their 

 heads, as feathers for ornament. True it is, that many of 

 these flowers are onely pleasing to the sight, having no 

 good savour, eyther they are grosse, or else they have none 

 at all ; and yet there be some of an excellent scent, as 

 those which growe vpon a tree termed by them Floripondio 1 

 or carry flower, which beares no fruit, but onely these 

 flowers, which are greater than the Lillie, and are like to 

 1 The Datura. 



