z I 



fmfdfomB-tohat like thofe of the Iris j 

 thefe are froduc'il in a Head or Cluby 

 each coming out of a feparate leafy 

 Scale: The Ovary afterwards be- 

 €omes a triangular Fruity haojing 

 three Cells which contain the Seeds* 

 The Species are \ 



1 . ZiNziBER j C. B. p. The com- 

 mon Ginger. 



2, Zingiber 5 Latifolium\ Sylve- 

 flre. H. L. Broad-leav'd wild Gin- 

 ger, or 7,erumbeth. 



The tirfl of thefe Plants is culti- 

 vated in the warm Parts of the 

 IVeft-Indies in great Plenty, from 

 %vhence we are annually furnifh'd 

 with the dried Roots for Ufe. The 

 iecond Sort is moft common in 

 the Eaft-biJies, tho' it grows wild 

 in fome Parts of the Wcfi-lndies; 

 there are fmall Quantities of this 

 Root brought into Europe for me- 

 dicinal Uie, but it is never ufed 

 in the Kitchen as the other. 



Thefe Plants are prefer ved as 

 Curiofities in the Gardens of thofe 

 ^liO delight in rare Plants: They 

 are both propagated by parting of 

 their Roots j the beft time icr 

 %vhich is in the Spring, before 

 they begin to fl^.oot, when each 

 large Root may be divided into 

 feveral Parts, obferving always to 

 prelerve two or three Eyes to each 

 Piece : Thefe ftould be planted in- 

 to Pots filled with rich, light Earth, 

 and plunged into a Hot-bed of 

 Tanners Bark, where they muft be 

 frequently refieilVd with Water, 

 snd in hot Weather the Glafles 

 fl^.cuid he rais'd Vvith a Brick, to 

 ^ive them Air in proportion to 

 the Warmth of the Scafon, and the 

 Keat ot the Bed in which they are 

 placed i tor when their Lea^'es are 

 come up, if they are too much 

 drawn, they will grow very tall 

 ar.d weak, and the Roots v/ill make 

 hui very -.ndiS-eren: Progrefio But 



z I 



when they have a due Proportion 

 of Heat, Moifture, and" *Vee Air, 

 their Roots will thrive ib faft, as 

 in one Seafbn, from a fmall Head 

 to fpread over a large Pet, and 

 ibmetimcs will produce Flowers 

 in this Country. 



But thefe Plants muft be con- 

 ftantly kept in a Hot-bed of Tan- 

 ners Bark, for they are too tender 

 to endure the op. n Air in England, 

 in the warmcfi: Part of Summer; 

 and in Winter they muft be placed 

 in a Bark Stove: for altho' their 

 Leaves do decay in Autumn, and 

 their Roots feem to remain in an 

 unaftive State moft part of the 

 Winter ; yet, if they are not pre- 

 ferved in a very warm Place du- 

 ring that Seafon, they will entirely 

 rot, as I have more than once ob- 

 ferved : Nor do thefe Roots abide 

 the Winter fo well when placed 

 upon Boards in the warmeft Stove, 

 as when they are plunged in the 

 Bark Bed, tho' they are preferved 

 in the fame Degree of Warmth j 

 which I conceive to be owing to 

 the Moifture of the Bark, which 

 in Fermentation afcends, and en- 

 tering the Holes at the Bottom ot 

 the Pots, affords an agreeable Nou- 

 rifhment to the Roots, preferving 

 them always plump and full ; 

 whereas thofe in a dry Stove, do 

 often Ihrink for want of Moifture, 

 and fb many times decay j for it is 

 not very fate to give them much 

 Water after their Leaves are de- 

 cay'd, becaufe they are very apt to 

 rot with too much Moifture at 

 that Scafon. 



When their Leaves are dccay'd, 

 is the proper Time to take up 

 thefe Roots 5 but thofe that are de- 

 lign'd to plant again, fliould nor be 

 difturb'd till the Spring, juft before 

 they begin to fliootj which, as 

 was befoie obfervedj is ih:^ beft 

 ' Time 



