GERARD'S HERBAL 119 



after the lapse of three centuries. One of his numerous corre- 

 spondents had sent him the seed of this rare plant, " of which 

 seed/' he says : 



" I received two plants that prospered exceeding well; the 

 one whereof I bestowed upon a learned apothecary of Colchester, 

 which continueth to this day bearing both floures and ripe seed. 

 But an ignorant weeder of my garden plucked mine up and cast 

 it away in my absence instead of a weed, by which mischance I 

 am not able to write hereof so absolutely as I determined. It 

 floured in my garden about S. James' tide as I remember, for 

 when I went to Bristow Faire I left it in floure; but at my 

 returne it was destroyed as is aforesaid." 



