V E R 



V E R 



month sooner. It is a native of Austria and 

 Siberia. 



The third has a large tuberous root : the 

 leaves oblong, having several longitudinal fur- 

 rows:, or plaits ; they are four or five inches 

 long, and tv^-o broad in the middle, and spread 

 t-heniselves on the ground; between these comes 

 out a single stem, near a foot high, having a 

 very few small leaves or sheaths placed on it al- 

 ternately: the flowers are produced at the top, 

 in a single thick close spike ; are small, and of 

 a yellowish white colour, appearing in June. It 

 i« a native of North America. 



Culture. — These plants may be increased by 

 seed and parting the roots. 



The seed should be sown in the autumn or 

 early spring upon a bed or border of light earth, 

 or in a box filled with the same sort of mould. 

 When the plants are come up in the spring keep 

 them clear from weeds, and refreshed with 

 water occasionally when the season is hot and 

 dry ; and in tlie following autumn, when the 

 leaves decay, take them up carefully without 

 injuring the roots, and plant them out about 

 half a foot square in a fresh bed of light mould ; 

 and \^ hen they have remained in it till fit for 

 flowering, they should be removed into the 

 borders, clumps, or other parts. This is how- 

 ever a tedious method, as they seldom flower in 

 less than four years ; therefore the root method 

 is mostly had recourse to. 



The roots may be divided in autumn when the 

 leaves decay, and be planted out in a light fresh 

 rich mould where they are to grow ; they should 

 not be removed oftener than once in about four 

 vears. The roots should not be parted too small. 



These plants have a fine effect in the middle 

 of large borders, clumps, and other similar si- 

 tuations. 



\'ERBASCUM, a genus furnishing plants of 

 the hardy annual, biennial, and perennial kinds. 



It belongs to the class ar.d order Pent audi ia 

 Monugyniu, and ranks in the natural order of 

 iMrhUf. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a one- 

 leafed perianth, five-parted, small, permanent: 

 segments erect, acute : the corolla one-petalled, 

 wheel-shaped, a little unequal : tube cylindric, 

 verv short : border spreading, five-parud: seg- 

 ments ovate, obtuse: the stamina have five fila- 

 ments, awl-shaped, shorter than the corolla : 

 anthers roundish, compressed, erect: the pis- 

 lillum is a roundish germ: st\le filiform, length 

 of the stamens, inchncd: stigma thickish, ob- 

 tuse : the peric3r])ium is a roundish capsule, 

 two-celled, two-valved, opening at top : recep- 

 tacles half ovate, fastened to the partition : the 

 seeds numerous, angular. 



The species cultivated are: 1. /'. Eoeihaavii, 

 Annual Mullein;' 2. F. Blnttarla, Moth Mul- 

 lein ; 3. 7^'. T/m/)i7/^, Great Mullein ; 4. K phlo- 

 moides, Woolly Mullein ; 5- F. Lychnitis, White 

 Mullein; 6. F.s'muatum, Scollop-leaved Mul- 

 lein; ". Kfi^rrugiueum, Rusty IVIullein ; 8. F. 

 Phocnlceum, Purple Mullein; 9. F. ]\Tijconi, 

 Borage-leaved Mullein. 



The first has an annual root: the stem from 

 three to four feet high: the leaves sessile but not 

 decurrent, spatulate, narrower at the base, si- 

 nuate but scarcely lyrate, almost naked above, 

 somewhat tomentose beneath : the spike loose, 

 terminating, with the flowers sessile, not 

 crowded very much together, but several to each 

 bracte : the corollas are yellow, with the stamens 

 and pistils purple : the flowers have an agreeable 

 scent at a little distance; but if smelt to long, 

 or too nearj it becomes less pleasant ; they ap- 

 pear in June and July. It is a native of the 

 South of Europe. 



The second species has an annual fusiform 

 root : the stem about three feet high, erect, 

 branched, leafy, angular, smooth : the leaves 

 obovate-oblong, doubly-serrate, smooth, em- 

 bracing : root-leaves sublyrate : the racemes 

 terminating, glandular-hairy, stiff, many- 

 flowered: the flowers peduneled, solitary, yel- 

 low streaked more or less with purple, having 

 each a single ovate bracte at the base of the 

 peduncle. It is a native of the South of Europe, 

 Germany, Switzerland, &e.; and is very orna- 

 mental, flowering from July to November, or 

 even later in mild weather. 



The third has a biennial root, spindle-shaped: 

 the stem erect, simple, stiff, and straight, from 

 three to five feet high, leafy, woolly, angular, 

 winged: the leaves alternate, decurrent, oblong, 

 nearlv entire, verv thicklv clothed on both sides 

 with white branched intricate villose hairs : the 

 spike terminating, erect, cylindrical, manv- 

 flowered: the flowers sessile, closely set, bright 

 vcllow, sometimes but rarely while. It is a na- 

 tive of Europe and Siberia, flowering in July 

 and August. 



The fourth species has a biennial root : the 

 stem erect, spiked, very tomentose : the leaves 

 ovate, not at all cordate, crenate ; the lower 

 ones on a petiole which is flat above ; the upper 

 ones sessile, half embracing but not decurrent: 

 the raceme spike-shaped, with scattered lance- 

 olate bractcs; within each of which are four 

 flowers, the middle ones blowing first, then the, 

 lowest, and lastly the two lateral ones. It is a 

 native of Italy, Germany, and the South of 

 France; flowering in June and July. 



The fifth has a biennial root : the stem erect, 

 seldom more than three feet high, stiff and 



