April. not much ; 
——= pointed, {trongly rib’d lengthwife, and of a grey- 
ifh green: they furround the Stalk at the Bafe ; 
but within them it is covered with two others, 
fhorter, greener, and More flethy.. 
The Stalk when naked is of a pearly whitith 
Colour ; but thefe Leaves which clofely cover it 
are green. 
and is large and very beautiful. 
It has no Cup: 
Purpofe. 
have been accounted nine; but this we have ex- 
plain’d before. 
eafily miftaken for Petals. 
Of the proper fix, three unite themfelves into 
a Body, and ftand erect in the Middle ; the other | 
three are plac’d obliquely ; they all adhere by 
their Bottoms ; ‘and they are long, large, and ob- 
tufe. . The three broad Divifions of the Stigma, 
which have been call’d Petals, are turn’d back. ane ‘ 
downward. 
Thefe are the Parts of this Flower, and, their 
Difpofition ; their Colouring muft be fhewn by the 
Pencil alone, for Words can do it but very 
- faintly. 
The Ground Tink is a cently Sie fin’ d 
more or lefs with blue. The three outermoft Pe- 
tals have all along their Middle a broad Line of "| ftainces “in each, and cover thefe with Oyfter- 
yellow, diverfify’d with Spots of fuch a lively 
brown, as forms the inner Star in the Flower of 
the Erythronium s and on each Side run innumera- 
ble little Lines of Violet. 
~~ The Extremity of this golden Line ftops thort of 
the End of the Leaf, and it is there of a finer yellow 
than elfewhere. At the End is a large Spot of 
the moft perfect deep violet Purple, with the Vel- | 
_vet:Hue, and this is furrounded with white, 
The upright Petals are more pearly, but they | 
have alfo their elegant Variegations,, as have. the | 
Divifions of the Stigma. | 
The Filaments are three: they are affix’d to 
the. Bafes of the three outer Petals, and they. are 
fhort, but crown’d with ey lope Buttons, flatted. || 
and furrowed. 
The Style is. fingle and roll it fier hire a: 
Rudiment. of the Seed-veffel, plac’d beneath the 
Receptacle of. the Flower, and it:is crown’d with 
the foliated Stigma we have defcrib’d. already. 
Ridges, and fild with numerous large Seeds. » 
The three Filaments fhew. the Plant one of the | 
Triandria;. the third Clafs. of Linnaus ; the fin- 
ale aes one of the Man ett its firft Section. | 
Calture of this Tris. 
This. elegant Species: is a, Native..of the «Kap, | 
and demands. and. deferves.fome Attention: it js. | 
never without Beauty; but. we-fhall inform. the 
Gardener how he may add greatly to the Variety: | : 
and Luftre of its ufual Colouring. 
The Plants muft for this Purpofe be rais’d. 
from Seed; and, to give them all the Advantages’ 
of Culture, the Soil, Situation, and Refrefhment 
they are narrow, hollow’d, fharp- | 
The Flower ftands fingle at the Top, 
a few flight Films ferve that’ 
The Shape is fingular, as,well as the 
Colouring, and it is compos’d of fix Petals’: they . 
| The broad Tops of the Style are | 
- in this like thofe of the other Iris’ “ and therefore | 
: ce eet Chey Tage, 
A COMPLEAT BODY 
a the Ground mutt -be a to with Care- 
In November let him mix up the following 
Compott, to lie nine Months in the Air before 
it is us’d. 
Dig a Barrow of Mould from under the Turf 
in an upland Pafture: mix with it a Buthel of 
Earth from under a Wood-Pile,“half a Buthel of 
old Cow-dung, a Peck of Marle, or, in its Place, 
a Peck and half of Pond-Mud, and half a Peck 
| of Sand. Strew over thefe a Handful of Wood- 
Soot, and two Ounces of common Salt. Mix 
them very well in a Heap, and turn. this as often 
-as Weeds appear. | 
In Spring mark three or four of the “ae 
Flowers where they blow ftrong and lively: 
give once in three Days gentle Wie 
ings; and now and then ftir the Surface of the 
Motld. ° Thus forward the Seeds; and when 
they have attain’d their full Bignefs, let them 
ftand ten Day’ unwater’d to harden. 
Then cut off the Heads, and lay them on a 
paper’d Shelf in an airyRoom. = > | 4. 
When they have lain to be well dry’d, open 
them, fhake out the Seeds, and {catter them to 
hhardenon the fame Shelf. . 
Then prepare Boxes for the fowing them. Let 
| thefe be a:¥ard long, two Foot ahi Inches 
broad, feven Inches deep, and nail’d up of firm 
but rough Boards. Bore five Holes at equal Di- 
fhells. Then fill the Boxes with the Compoft, ° 
and fcatter on the Seeds pretty thick. 
Sift over them a Quarter of an Inch of the 
fame Compoft, and fet them upon Bricks, in a 
Place where they may have the Morning Sun, but 
be fhaded from that of Noon. The End of Fuly, 
or Beginning of Auguft, will, according to our 
‘Management, be the Time of fowing chica, 
Keep. the Mould. clear of Weeds, refrefh it at 
Times. with a little Water; and in: the Beginning 
| of Offober remove the Boxes into a Place defended 
from all Cold, and open to the Noon Sun: and — 
‘let a Mat be hung from the Wall, that may in 
bad Weather be let down: over them. 
Early, in Spring the Plants will appear. Let 
| the weakeft be taken up where they rife too thick; 
let the Mould be kept clear from Weeds, and re- 
‘freth’d now and then with Water; and at the 
| End.of April let them be remov’d into their firlt 
‘Place. 
The Seed-vefiel is. oblong, mark’d with three | 
In Fuly the Leaves will be doting’ Let a 
Quarter of an Inch: of fteth Compoft be fifted. 
over them; and let them in Ofober be remov’d 
again into their Winter Situation. 
AN) this Time the Heap of Conirpaft. a 
which the Filling of the-Boxes was taken, remains 
open to the Air, and muft be turn’d at Times, 
and kept from Weeds. 
. The next Year; in Fuly, when the Leaves of: 
the young Plants are decay’d, a Border mutt: 
be prepar’d: for the Reception of their Roots. 
Chufe a warm fhelter’d Place, take out the’ 
‘Mould, and throw in two thirds of the Compoft. 
Lay the Surface level, and draw Lines lengthwife: 
and a-crof{s, at. four Inches and a half Diftance. 
“Mark an Opening in the Centre of each little 
| Square, 
April. 
