Nov. 
A COMPLEAT BODY 
Colour rifes from the Culture: nie sHseeete! can-| 
- not conftitute a diftinct Species, any more than 
a Difference in Size from the fame Caufe, or the 
frivolous Diftinétion of a more or lefs downy 
‘Leaf. 
' The Juice a chile Berries {tains with a very 
glorious Colour, but it is not. lafting. If Art 
could fix it properly for Dyeing, it would become 
a very valuable Article in that Trade. 
The Flower, examined ftri€tly, appears to con- 
fift only of a Cup, and the Parts of Fructifica- 
tion. What feems of the Body of the Flower 
is this Cup, which is form’d of a fingle Piece, 
divided at the Edge into four Segments, and in 
Colour white. 
‘Within this Cup, in which there are no Petals, 
ftand four fmall Filaments, diftinétly crown’d with 
their feparate Buttons. In the Centre of thefe ap- 
pears a fingle Style, fhort, and produc’d from a 
large and roundifh PO the Rudiment of the 
Fruit. 
This, by Degrees, ripens into the perfect Ber- 
ry, and the Cup remains under it, but changes 
Form and Colour: it becomes oreen, and its Seg- 
ments roll back. In each Berry is contain’d a 
roundifh rough Seed. 
to this Genus, judg’d better than thofe who had 
annex’d it to the Solanum or Amaranthus ; but ’tis 
to the Author here celebrated alone, that we owe 
the proper Eftablifhment of the Character. 
Prumier has figur’d eight Filaments in the 
Flower : Nature allows but four; and this would 
have remov’d the Genus many Clafiés from its pro- 
per Place in the Sy{ftem. 
It is one of the Tetrandria Monogynia of Liv- 
Neus; the fourth Clafs, and its firft Seton. 
Culture of the Rivina, 
The Plant is a Native of Famaica, Barbadoes, 
and the Caribbee [lands ; and it there rambles in 
all its Wildnefs among the Thickets, fupporting 
itfelf by the Branches of flender Shrubs. 
The Soil in which it is moft frequently found, 
is .a light Loam, enrich’d by the decay’d Leaves 
: and rotten Branches that fall from thofe Trees and 
Shrubs under whofe Shelter it thrives. 
points out its proper Culture. | : 
The Seeds carefully taken out of its Berries, 
will freely grow ; and they are beft from the 
Place where it is native, and are eafily obtain’d 
me Ties 
thence ; but they will grow if taken from the 7 
Berries here. 
At this Seafon, in which there is Leifure enough 
for fuch Purpofes, let the Gardener mix together 
a Load of light Hazle Loam, cut from ie the 
Turf in a good Pafture, and half a Load of 
Earth from under an old Wood-Pile: This is an 
Earth we have often recommended, and with 
great Support from Reafon and Experience. 
--Itas a kind of Virgin Soil, having born no Ves 
getable many Years, and’tis enrich’d by the rotted | 
Wood. _ It He os all the Purpotes of Willow : 
Earth, but Driice... 
This Mixture being prepar’d, let it lie all 
oe wt. 
| Plant; 
Piumigr, who gave the diftin& Name y aali | 
| Place. 
: vale Root; 
MN a! 
Wantee fometimes turning it ; 
ing Spring it will be fit for Ute. 
The Quantity we have nam’d, is more than 
aati be wanted for this Plant; but it will ferve 
for others which naturally require the fame kind 
of Soil. It is a Compoft unknown to the com- 
mon Gardeners ; but fuperior to moft they uf. 
In this Point Experience has direéted us, from 
a long Trial, of the Mixture in which the feveral 
Plants beft thrive; and we fhall, from that Expe- 
‘Tience, direét, fo far as we have try’d, or certain 
Judgment reaches, a peculiar Mixture for the fe- 
veral Kinds we name. 
Thefe particular Compofts the Gardener may 
ufe for each, or at his Pleafure, that which is 
moftt like the Kind defcrib’d out of the Number he 
has prepar’d for others. 
After this Choice in the Matter of Compoft, 
the next Care is the gathering the Seeds, and pre- 
paring them ‘for Sowing. 
I have found that, of the Seeds ripen’d in 
England, thofe which are taken from the Berries, 
in November, are what fucceed beft. Let this be 
therefore the Time of gathering them. 
Pick off the ripeit Berries from a flourifhing 
and taking out the Seeds, dry them care- 
fully upon a Sheet of fpungy Paper, in an airy 
up in a double ee Bag, and lay them by till 
_ Spring. 
Early in that Seafon {catter hee upon a cood 
Hot-Bed, and cover them half an Inch deep oo 
Mould; they will rife with the common Care be- 
ftow’d on Hot-Bed Plants, and when they have — 
fome little Height, the weakett may be pull’d up, 
that only a few thriving Plants remain. 
_ After a Week more, thefe muft be tranfplanted 
into another Hot-Bed; and when they have ftood 
about three Weeks in that, they muft be planted i in 
Pots. 
~ Let thefe be fill’d half up with the Compott, 
and then the Plants fet in upright, one in each 
Pot, and fecur’d by carefully pouring in more 
_ Mould. When they are well fettled, let them 
have a gentle Watering, with Water that has 
{tood four and twenty Hours in the Stove, and 
let the Pots: be fet “46 to the Rim in a moderate 
-Bark-Bed. | 
Let them be fhaded carefully till they have 
and at Times water’d. After this 
let the Glaffes be lightly rais’d; and when they 
are thus very well eftablith’d, let het be remov’d 
at once into the Stove. : 
There they muft be treated as the other Plants, 
giving them, during Summer, as much Air as 
they can bear ; and they will grow very faft. 
_ . They are beautiful while there is no more than 
the Leaf to recommend them, for that is well 
‘ fhap’d and well colour’d; and the Growth and 
fpreading of the Plants under a good Gardener’s: 
Hand, is very pleafing. 
flower; and foon after the Fruit will ripen. 
_ This hangs at the prefent Seafon in innumera-. 
In Autumn it will 
ble Clufters of fcarlet or of purple Berries, deco- 
“t rating the Stove; and will continue in the fame 
Beauty all the Winter. 
ee : Let 
and in the fucceed- 
After they are thoroughly dry, tye them: 
~ " ’ x aay ¥ i eee ietiaih aiid 2 —_ ter — 
\ 
Rs Ov. 
rte meres ena ea 
