The Garden of p leaf ant Flowers. 







their colours in the Autumne, among whom that R,-x pwarij (as I may fo call it) the 

 tame or manured kinde, properly called of the Garden, is to be comprehended, for 

 that it giueth his pleafant flowers at that time among others. 1 (hall againe dillribute 

 thofc of the Spring time into three chiefe colours, that is, into white, purple, and yel- 

 low, and vnder euery one of them, comprehend the feuerall varieties that doe belong 

 vnto them ; which courfe I will alfo hold with thofe of the Autumne, that thus being 

 rightly ranked, they may the more orderly be defcribed. 



I . Crocus Vernus albus pitrus minor. 

 The fmaller pure white Saffron flower of the Spring. 



This fmall Saffron flower fpringeth vp in the beginning of the ycare, with three or 

 foure fmall greene leaues, fomcwhat broader, but much (horter then the true Saffron 

 leaues, with a white line downe the middle of euery leafe : betweene thefe leaues, out 

 of a white skinne, rifeth vp one or two fmall flowers, made of fix leaues a peecc, as all 

 the relt in generall are, of a pure white colour, without any mixture in it, which abide 

 not in flower aboue a weeke, or rather lelTe, fo fodainly is the pleafure of this, and the 

 purple loft : it flowreth not for the molt part, vntill a moneth after the yellow Crocus 

 appeareth in flower, and the ordinary ftript Crocus is part : the feede is fmall, round, 

 and reddifh, yet not fo red as the feede of the yellow, contained in three fquare heads, 

 yet feldome beareth, but encreafeth by the roote plentifully enough, which is fmall, 

 round, and flat at the bottome, fomewhat white on the outfide, but whiter within, 

 (hooting out fmall fprouts on euery fide of the roote, which is the belt note to know 

 this kinde and the lefler purple, which are both alike, from all other rootes of Saffron 

 flowers. 



2. Crocus albus maior multijtorus. The great fnow white Crocus. 



This greater Saffron flower rifeth vp vfually with three or foure greene leaues, 

 larger then the former, with a white line in euery one of them : the flowers are grea- 

 ter, and more in number, riling together, but flowring one after another, of a pure 

 fnow white colour, and abiding but little longer in flower then the former. 



3. Crocus albus maior alter diclus Ma/iacus. 

 The great white Saffron flower or Crocus of Mefia. 



This great white Crocus of Mefia, rifeth vp out of the ground, almoft as early as the 

 firft fort of the yellow, with foure or flue leaues, being very like vnto the leaues of the 

 yellow Crocus, and as large, with white lines in them : the flowers alfo are as large as 

 the flowers of the yellow, and many alfo rifing one after another like vnto it, but not 

 ot fo pure a white colour, as the former or laft defcribed, but rather tending to a Milky 

 or Creame colour : the roote is not couered with any reddilh, but rather pale skinnes 

 or coates. 



4. Crocus albus Majiacus fundo vio/aceo. 

 The great white Crocus of Melia with a blew bottome. 



There is another ot this kinde, like vnto the former in all things, fauing that the bot- 

 tomes of the flowers of this kinde, with fome part of the ftalke next the flower, are of a 

 pale Ihining purple colour, and rifing vp a pretty way into the flower ; whereas another 

 alfo of this kind, hath a little (hew or marke of blew, and not purple, at the bottome of 

 the flower onely, which maketh a difference. 



5. Crocus albus fundo purpureo. The white Crocus with a purple bottome. 



This Saffron flower is of the fame kinde with the tirlt, both in roote, leafe, and 

 flower, in none of them differing from it, but in that the bottome of this flower, with 

 that part of the (hort foote-ftalke next vnto it, is of a violet or purple colour, and 

 fometimes hauing here and there fome purple fmall lines, or fpots on the white leaues: 

 it flowreth alfo with the firft white, or fomewhat later. 



X 6. Crocus 



