154 



A V E 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL, 



A V E 



hairy ; culms a foot high, upright, smooth. A native of 

 the Gape of Good Hope. 



14. Avena Capensis. Panicle contracted : calices three- 

 flowered, subulate ; corolla pubescent ; middle awn twisted, 

 curved ; root creeping. Native of the Cape of Good Hope. 



15. Avena Purpurea. Panicle contracted ; calices two- 

 flowered, ovate ; corollas villose ; outer glume bifid j awn 

 terminal, bent in. Native of Martinico. 



16. Avena Lutea. Panicle spreading; calices two-flower- 

 ed, subulate j corollas naked, three-awned, middle awn 

 flexuose. Native of Martinico. 



J7- Avena Lupulina. Panicle contracted, ovate ; c.ilices 

 three-flowered, lanceolate j corollas villose: outer glume 

 bisubulate ; middle awn reflex. Native of tne Cape. 



18. Avena Fragilis ; Brittle Oat-grass. Spiked : calices 

 four-flowered, longer than the floret ; culms many, smooth, 

 withthreejoints; root annual Native of Spain and Portugal. 



19. Avena Pratensis ; Meadow Oat-grass. Subspiked : 

 calices mostly five-flowered; florets smooth; leaves channel- 

 led, serrulate, naked; root perennial.- Native of Europe and 

 Siberia, on dry pastures and heaths, flowering in July. 



20. Avena Spicata. Spiked : calices six-flowered, longer 

 than the outer petal, which is awned and forked at top ; 

 flowers six, sessile, upright. Native of Pennsylvania. 



21. Avena Bromoides. Subspiked: spicules binate, one- 

 peduncled ; awns divaricate ; calices eight-flowered; height 

 two feet; culm round, scarcely the thickness of a needle. 

 Native of Switzerland, and the neighbourhood of Montpellier. 



22. Avena Strigosa. Panicled: calices two-flowered; corolla 

 smooth at the base ; outer valve ending in two awns, shorter 

 than the valve, and wfyh a bent awn from the back ; root an- 

 nual; culm and leaves bare ; seeds hairy. Native of Europe. 



23. Avena Aurata ; Golden Oat-grass. Calices two-flow- 

 ered ; panicle sparse, erect ; corollas golden, villose at the 



base. This is a handsome grass ; culms nine inches high. 

 Whilst the plant is young, the calix is greenish ; the corolla 

 ahining, pale yellow, but when arrived at maturity, the 

 whole culm, calix, and corolla., are of a resplendent gold- 

 n.lour Native of the Alps of Switzerland and Piedmont. 



24. Avena Scheuchzeri. Spikelets five-flowered, pubes- 

 cent at the base ; peduncles branching ; culms from six to 

 twelve inches in height ; leaves smooth, keeled. Native 

 of the Alps of Switzerland, Savoy, and Piedmont. 



25. A vena Fiiifortnis. Panicle erect, very slender; calices 

 one-flowered ; awns twice the length of the calix. Native 

 vf New Zealand, and Eastern Island. 



Avetiiies; in Gardening, are walks of trees leading to a 

 bouse, and are generally terminated by some distant object. 

 These were formerly much more in request than at present, 

 there being few old seats in the country but had one or more 

 of these avenues ; and some had as many of them as there 

 were views from the house ; but of late, these are with good 

 reason disused ; for nothing can be more absurd, thun to 

 Lave the sight contracted by two or morelines of trees, w liich 

 hut out the adjacent grounds, whereby the verdure and na- 

 tural beauties of the country are lost; and, where the avenues 

 are of a' considerable length, even though their breadth be 

 proportionable, they appear at each end to be onty narrow 

 cuts through a wood, which never can please any person of 

 real taste ; and when the road to the house is through the 

 avenue,' nothing can be more disagreeable ; for in approach- 

 ing tlie house, it is like, going through a narrow lane, where 

 the objects on. each side ure shut out from the view ; and when 

 viewed from the house, it at best'has only the appearance of 

 a road, which beingex'tended to a great length in a straight line, 

 if not neareo beautiful as a common road/which is lost by the 



turnings, so as seldom to be seen to a great extent ; but as these 

 avenues must be made exactly straight, when the trees <jrmv to 

 anysize ( they entirely break the view, whatever way the sight 

 is directed through them ; and if this is in a park, the lawn of 

 grass through which the avenue is planted, is thereby entirely 

 deprived of the beauty which it naturally would afford, if 

 left open and well kept : therefore, whenever the situation of 

 a house will admit of a large open lawn in front, the road to 

 the house should be carried round at a proper distance ; and, 

 if it be carried sometimes through trees, and serpented in an 

 easy natural way, it will be much more beautiful than any 

 stiff formal avenue, how large soever made. But, as there 

 may be some persons so much wedded to the old way of 

 laying out and planting grounds, as to prefer avenues to the 

 most beautiful disposition of lawns, woods, &c. I shall mention 

 the usual methods of designing and planting them, that have 

 been esteemed the best. The usual width allowed to these 

 avenues was generally as much as the whole breadth of the 

 house and wings ; but if they are planted twelve or fourteen 

 feet wider, they will be the better ; because, when the trees are 

 grown to any considerable size, they will spread and overhang 

 so as to contract the view; and as for such a venues to woods or 

 prospects, they ought not to be less than sixty feet in breadth ; 

 and because such walks are a long time before they are shady, 

 it will be convenient to plant another row on each side, ra- 

 ther than to lose the stateliness that the main walk will afford 

 in time by being broad, where any thing of a prospect is 

 to be gained. As to the distance, the trees should not be 

 planted nearer one another than thirty-five or forty feet, 

 especially if they are of a spreading kind ; and the same dis- 

 tance if they are for a regular grove. The trees proper for 

 plantingavenues, are English Elm, the Lime-tree,the Horse- 

 chesnut, the Common Chesnut, the Beech, and the Abele. 

 First, the English Elm is approved for all places where it will 

 succeed, (and that it will do in most places, except in very 

 wet and cold shallow lands ;)becanse it wifl bear cut ting, head- 

 ing, lopping in any manner whatsoever, and probably with 

 better success than any other tree. Secondly, The Lime-tree : 

 this is approved by others, because it will do well in any 

 tolerable soil, if the bottom be not hot and gravelly ; and 

 because of the regular shape it has in growing, the ngree- 

 ableness of its shade, and the beautiful colour of its leaves. 

 Thirdly, The Horse-chesnut is also to be used in sucli places 

 as are rery well defended from strong winds ; because wher- 

 ever it grows freely, if it be not skilfully managed now and 

 then by cutting, the branches are subject to split down. 

 This tree is valuable on account of its quick growth, the 

 earliness of its coming out, the nobleness of its leaves, and 

 the beauty of its flowers ; being a fine plant both for shade 

 and ornament. This delights in a strong hearty soil, but 

 will do well in any tolerable ground, if good care be taken 

 in the planting of it ; but wherever these trees are planted 

 in avenues, they should be placed thirty feet asunder, that 

 their heads may have room to spread, otherwise they will not 

 appear so beautiful. Fourthly, The Common Chesnut will do 

 well in a proper soil, and will rise to a considerable height, 

 if planted close together ; but if it be planted singly, where 

 the tree can take its own natural shape, it is rather inclined 

 to spread and grow globous than tall. Fifthly, The Beech 

 is recommended by some ; but this seldom succeeds well 

 after transplanting, without extraordinary care : though it 

 arrives to a very large tree in many places of England, where 

 it grows naturally, but is the most tedious and troublesome 

 to raise to any tolerable size in a nursery way. Sixthly. The 

 Abele; this indeed rows more dispersed, and looser in it 

 head, than any 1 of the former, and consequently is worse for 



