



The Garden of pleafant Flowers. 63 



weaknefTe and decay of the roote, and that this extraordinary beauty in the flower, is 

 but us the brightnefle of a light, vpon the very extinguilhing thereot, and doth plainly 

 declare, that it can doe his Mailer no more feruice, and therefore with this iollity doth 

 bid him good night. I know there is a common opinion among many (and very con- 

 fidently maintained) that a Tulipa with a white flower, hath changed to beare a red or 

 yellow, and fo of the red or yellow, and other colours, that they are likewife incon- 

 ftant, as though no flowers were certaine : but I could neuer either fee or heare for 

 certaine any fuch alteration, nor any other variation, but what is formerly cxprefled. 

 Let not therefore any iudicious be carried away with any fuch idle conceit, but rather 

 fufpect fome deceit in their Gardeners or others, by taking vp one, and putting in an- 

 other in the place, or elfe their owne miftaking. 



Now tor the fowing, planting, tranfplanting, choife, and ordering of Tulipas, 

 which is not the leaft of regard, concerning this fubiedt in hand, but (as I think) would 

 be willingly entertained; What I haue by my beft endeauours learned, by mine owne 

 paines in almoft forty yeares trauell, or from others informations, I am willing here 

 to let downe; not doubting, but that fome may adde what hath not come to my 

 knowledge. 



Firft, in the fowing of feedes of Tulipas, I haue not obferued (whatfoeuer others 

 haue written) nor could of certainty learne of others, that there doth arife from the 

 feedes of Pr<fcoces any Media* or Seratmt Tulipas, (or but very feldome) nor am cer- 

 tainly aflured of any: but that the feedes of all Frances (fo they be not doubtfull, or 

 of the lalt rlowring forts) will bring Pracoces : And I am out of doubt, that I neuer faw, 

 nor could learne, that euer the feede of the Media* or Serotines haue giuen Pracoces ; 

 but Mcd'uis or S<-r'ttines, according to their naturall kinde. But if there fhould bee any 

 degeneration, I rather incline to thinke, that it fooner commeth to pafle (a nu-liore ad 

 pf/us, for fad /is eft defcenfus, that is) that Preecoces may giue Me</ias, then that Media* or 

 Serofim's fhould giue Preecoces. 



For the choife of your feede to fowe. Firft, for the Pracoces, Clufius faith, that the 

 Pr<tcox Tulipa, that beareth a white flower, is the beft to giue the greateft variety of co- 

 lours. Some among vs haue reported, that they haue found great variety rife from the 

 feede of the red Pracox, which I can more hardly beleeue : but Clufius his experience 

 hath the greater probabilty, but efpecially if it haue fome mixture of red or purple in 

 it. The purple I haue found to be the beft, next thereunto is the purple with white 

 edges, and fo likewife the red with yellow edges, each of them will bring moft of 

 their owne colours. Then the choife of the beft Medias, is to take thofe colours that 

 are light, rather white then yellow, and purple then red; yea white, not yellow, pur- 

 ple, not red : but thefe againe to be fpotted is the beft, and the more the better ; but 

 withall, or aboue all in thefe, refpect the ground or bottome of the flower, (which in 

 the Prcenx Tulipa cannot, becaufe you fhall feldome fee any other ground in them but 

 yellow) for if the flower be white, or whitifh, fpotted, or edged, and rtraked, and the 

 bottome blew or purple (fuch as is found in the Holias, and in the Cloth of filuer, this 

 is beyond all other the moft excellent, and out of queftion the choifeft of an hundred, 

 to haue the greateft and molt pleafant variety and rarity. And fo in degree, the meaner 

 in beauty you fowe, the lefTer fhall your pleafure in rarities be. Beftowe not your time 

 in fowing red or yellow Tulipa feede, or the diners mixtures of them ; for they will (as 

 I haue found by experience) feldome be worth your paines. The Serotma, or late flow- 

 ring Tulipa, becaufe it is feldome feene, with any efpeciall beautifull variety, you may 

 eafily your felues ghefTe that it can bring forth (euen as I haue alfo learned) no raritie, 

 and little or no diuerlity at all. 



The time and manner to fowe thefe feedes is next to be coniidered. You may not 

 fowe them in the fpring of the yeare, if you hope to haue any good of them ; but in the 

 Autumne, or prefently after they be thorough ripe and dry : yet if you fowe them not 

 vntill the end of October, they will come forward neuer the worfe, but rather the bet- 

 ter ; for it is often feene, that ouer early fowing caufeth them to fpring out of the 

 ground ouer early, fo that if a fharp fpring chance to follow, it may go neere to 

 fpoile all, or the moft of your feede. Wee vfually fowe the fame yeares feede, yet if 

 you chance to keepe of your owne, or haue from others fuch feed, as is two years old, 

 they will thriue and doe well enough, efpecially if they were ripe and well gathered : 



You 



