198 A HISTORY OF GARDENING IN ENGLAND. 



1668, he w.rites to Evelyn, enclosing him some papers: "They 

 are but common observations, but true ones, and most of 

 the famed secrets for meliorating flowers will not prove so." 

 In 1671 he writes again, this time sending Evelyn some 

 plants : 



" Bettisfield, Augst. 2ist, 1671. 



" Sir, I send you herewith some rootes of severall sorts : the 

 bear's ears (Auriculas) and some of the anemones and ranunculus 

 are very good, but the tulips (except Agat Hanmer and the 

 Ariana, and some others) are not extraordinary ; indeed, my 

 garden affords not now such varieties of rare tulips as I had 

 formerly ; most of my best died the first yeare I came to 

 live at this place, and I have not furnisht my selfe anew, 

 because I thinke neither this ayer nor earth agrees with 

 them. I suppose your flower garden, being new, is not very 

 large, and therefore I send you not many things at this tyme, 

 and I wish the beares eares doe not dry too much before 

 you receave them ; they will be a fortnight at least before 

 they come to Deptford, and therefore sett them as soone as 

 may be, and water them well (if it raine not) for three or 

 fower dayes, and plant them not in too hott a sun. I thought 

 once to have ventur'd some gilliflowers, having two years 

 since raised some very good ones from seed (w h I never 

 did before, nor I thinke never shall againe, because the wett 

 in England hinders the ripening of the seed more than in 

 Holland and Flanders) but there is such store of excellent 

 ones all about London, that I had not the confidence to 

 adventure any to your view; and I doubted whether being 

 soe long on the way would not kill them. Sir, I wish I 

 were better able to serve you either in these bagatelles or 

 more weighty occasions : I should with great alacrity and 

 satisfaction, I assure you, lay hold on all opportunityes to 

 express myselfe how really I am 



"S r . 

 " Yo r affectionate faithfull servant, 



"Tho. Hanmer. 



" My wife and my selfe humbly present o r services to your 



