Octobe 
Pl. VI. 
‘Fig. 2. 
A  -C.O°Me{PsE B: AvTs BOSD Y 
3 AFRICAN GOLDEN SAGE. 
We lay here before the Reader a Shrub that 
was early introduced into the Gardens of Ho/- 
land, and that deferves a Place in every one of 
ours, where either Singularity or Beauty are re- 
carded. | 
The Gardeners Name for it is Shrub Sage, or 
Yellow African Sage. ComMetin, who raifed it 
in the Amfterdam Garden, calls it, Salvia Afri- 
cana Srutefcens folio fubrotundo glauco flore magno 
and Linnevs, in his Hort. Cif. and 
aureo: 
Vawroyven, in his Lugd. Salvia foliis fubrotundis 
integerrimis bafi truncatis dentatis: that is, Sage 
with rounded entire Leaves, truncated at the Bafe 
and dented. 
It is a wild and irregular fhrubby Plant, of a 
Yard or more in Height. 
and the Trunk is brown. ; 
The young Shoots are {quare and green ; but 
as they grow older they lofe that Shape and Co- 
lour, becoming round and of a pale brown. 
The Root is fibrous, 
The Leaves are numerous, and they ftand in © 
_ Pairs, crowded with Rudiments of young ones. 
“They are fhort, broad, of a thick firm Sub- | 
{tance, and a blueifh green. 
The Flowers are large, confpicuous, and 
beautiful. They are difpofed in fhort Spikes on 
the Tops of all the Stalks; and their Colour is 
a fhining 
in this, Fie the Flower: is fallen, the Seeds 
~ ftand naked. 
This is the general Afpect of the Flower, into 
the internal Part of which the Student is to look 
to know of what Clafs it is in the Linn 2An 
Syftem. 
Searching for the Filaments he will find them 
only two: ‘and the Difpofition of thefe being 
equal, he knows, from the general Rules laid 
down already, that it is by their Number he 
is to judge of its Place in the modern Syftem. 
The fecond Clafs of Linnzvus 1s named Dian- 
dria ; that Term exprefling Plants in whofe 
Flowers the male Parts are two. © 
The Structure of thefe Filaments is very fin- 
cular. Each is {fplit into two Parts, which ftand 
wide afunder : one of thefe is longer, and lies 
under the upper Lip of the Flower ; and on this 
Part of each Filament fltands the Anthera or 
Button, not on the other; that having only an 
obtufe Appendage. 
Thefe Buttons are the Part which ferve for the 
Impregnation of the Seeds; thefe therefore are 
to be regarded ; ; and thofe Portions of the. Fila- 
ments which carry them; not the other, in an 
Enquiry after the Clafs of the Plant. But now 
we have taught the Student not to be mifled by 
their Form, we may explain a farther Singula- 
rity relating to them. | 
Mr.’ Ray, and many other Writers, have 
- brought into one Clafs all the Plants which have 
Jabiated Flowers ; that is, fuch as have, like 
this of Sage, the Flower of. Lavender, and. the 
like, a Divifion into two.Parts, fomewhat re- 
fembling two Lips. | 
3 
gold yellow. The Cup is large; and. 
Octob..°\ 
Linn us, who has not followed thefe com- 
- mon Marks in his Diftribution, but founds his 
Method on the internal Parts, claffes thefe labi- 
ated Kinds in general among his Didynamia, or 
thofe-in whofe Flower two Stamina or Filaments 
are longer, and have more Efficacy than the 
others: . 
- Thus in the Flower of Lavender there are four — 
Filaments, two of which are longer than the 
other two; and fo almoft univerfally among the 
- Jabiated Plants. 
Sage is an Exception to this Rule, and has, 
as we perceive in the prefent Inftance, only two 
Stamina; but the Uniformity of Nature in the 
fmalleft Parts is very obfervable, even in this 
Variation ; for Sage, which has only two Fila- 
ments in the Flower, has thofe fplit fo that 
each feems double ; one of the two Branches of 
each is fhorter than the other, and has, inftead 
of a regular Anthera, se a ufelefs Appen- 
- dage. 
Culture of the Arrican GoupeEn Sack. 
This is one of thofe fhrubby Plants that bear 
our Summers in the open Air, but require the-- 
Shelter of a Green- houle againft the Severities 
of Winter. 
We have it in (ace Gardens ; “But the indif- 
Sicad Appearance it makes, flowering feldom 
and that poorly, and being ufually covered with 
dead and decaying Leaves, occafior: s it to be lefs — 
) regarded than it deferves, 
This is not the Nature of the Plant, for it is 
luxuriant and lively in its native Soil; nor is it 
limited to that Climate for enjoying its Vigour ; 
' it is ftrong and healthy in the Gardens of France, 
| and flowers in Holland all Autumn, as well as in 
its native Country. 
Our Climate does not deny the fame Advan- 
tage, but our Gardeners forfeit it by an unfkilful 
Culture : in the Place of which we fhall here pro-. 
pofe a better, not from Imagination, but fuch a 
one as is founded on Reafon, and confirmed by the 
Experience of the French, and more of the 
Dutch Gardeners. 
The Plant may be raifed from Cuttings, or 
from Seeds. Moft Gardeners prefer the former 
Method, becaufe eafier, though ‘they know the 
latter to be better. 
They take the Cuttings sich a ftarved weak 
| Plant, for their Pots afford no better, and wa 
plant them in a lean and hungry Soil.: 
By this Means the Plant, which had its Ori- 
gin in Weaknefs, is ftarved into Decay ; and at 
beft produces a few fcattered and faint Flowers: 
continuing weak for Want of Nourifhment, and 
often ‘sibadbing the placate Herbs with its 
‘Decay. 
This, like our ill Succefs in many sebet Ex- 
otics, is owing to the ill Inftruction our Garde- 
ners receive born Writings which they think au- — 
| thentic as the Gofpels; and which, though we fhall 
Not 
