OF GARDENING. 
Fig. 6. Plant, mutt give it a Place in the Collections of 
the Curious, for it can claim little Praife on the 
Account of Beauty. 
The earlier Writers did not-know it. KaMprer- 
in his Anenitates Exotice, names it, under the Ih- 
dian Term, mungos radix. 
Linn vs firft treated it botanically: he gave 
it the Name Ophiorbiza, eftablifhed the Charaéters 
of a regular Genus, and added as the Diftinétion 
of this Species, foliis lanceolato ovatis : Ophiorhiza, 
- with lanceolate but nearly oval Leaves. This 
diftinguifhes it from the Plant called Nitra, which 
is truly an Ophiorhiza, but has abfolutely oval 
Leaves. 
rioufly twifted. Its Bark is of a redifh brown. 
The Pith white and hard. The Tafte is bitter 
beyond all other known Subftances, and the A4- 
layans hence call it by a Name which fignifies 
in their Language, the Gall of the Earth, as we. 
do Gentian. 
The Stalk is round, tender, jointed, tolerably 
upright, and fifteen Inches high. The Colour is 
a yellowifh green, but the Joints are red. 
The Leaves are placed in Pairs, and are large, 
broad, but lanceolated, undivided at the Edges, 
fharp pointed, and of a delicate green. 
The Flowers are very iii and their Co- 
oy 
O&ob. tubular Part is rounded and fwelled, and the , ane ee Fa Oob 
Verge is compofed of five large lanceolate Seg- Culture of this CycLaMEN. 
ments, with a prominent Neck. The Mewes Hs Tee : : 
‘turn up. It is a Native of many of the northern Parts of 
The Filaments are five, and they: ftand in the | Z4urope, and bears all Seafons in our open Borders. 
Neck of the Flower. The, true Method of propagating it is by Seed : 
Their Buttons are upright, acute, and con- this fhould be faved from the fineft Flowers, and — 
vergent. o fowed on a Piece of Ground in the Nurfery, open 
The Style is fingle, and. longer than the Fila: | t© the Morning Sun. 
ments, and the Fruit a, round large Berry, which | _ The Progrefs of the Plant to Perfection is very 
contains feveral, angulated and fomewhat oval flow; but the Gardener who has Patience, will this 
Seeds. Way obtain beautiful Flowers. ‘The fineft are to 
The five Filaments and fingle Style. refer the | be preferved for the diftinét Beds, the reft difperfed 
Plant to the Pentandria Monogynia of Linnvs, | in lefs confpicuous Places ; and once a Year they 
his fifth Clafs, and its firft Section. thould be all taken up, and planted in new Mould. 
5. PURPLE CORTUSA. 
Pl. 60. This, tho’ with fomething of the Weed Afpett, | Each Flower has aCup form’d of one Leaf, 
Fig. 5. is a confpicuous and fiadiorme Plant; and long | cut at the Rim into five Segments. 
fince made its way into our Garden’; whence a The Body of the Flower is form’d of one Petal, 
worfe Tafte, prefering Novelty to Beauty; has now tuibular a little Way ; and divided into five large | 
almoft banifhed it. | and elegant Segments, with as many Tubercles — 
The earlier Writers all mention it. MaTuiotus | at the Bafe. | 
calls it Cortufa, and moft continue the Denomina- The Filaments are five, and they are very fhort, 
tion, with the Addition of that Author’s Name, | and their Buttons of a fingular Structure; they are 
Cortufa Mathioh. C. Bavutne more diftinétly calls compofed of two Plates, and fixed to the Outfide 
it, Sanicula montana, latifolia, laciniata: broad-— of the Filaments. 
leav’d, laciniated, mountain Sanicle. The Style is fingle, and the Fruit is an oval 
Linn us preferves the Mathiolan NameCortu/a, | Capfule with many Seeds. 
and adds as the Diftinétion of this Species, Caly- The five Filaments and fingle Style refer the 
cibus corolla brevioribus: Cortufa, with the Cups | Plant to the Pentandria Monogynia of Linwaus, 
fhorter than the Flower, there being a new difco- | his fifth Eat and its fir ft Seétion. 
vered Siberian Kind, in which they are longer. 
The Root is compofed of innumerable dufky Culture of this Cortusa. 
Fibres conneéted to a frnall Head. : 
The Leaves rife in a fine large Clufter, and It is a Native of the northern Parts of Europe, 
are in their Form and Colouring very elegant. and requires no fhelter in our Gardens: it muft ~ 
Their Footftalks are long, and redifh ; they are | be planted in an open Situation, and i in the com- 
broad, deeply jagged at the Edges, and of a fine | mon Mould. , 
green on the upper Side, but greyifh underneath. The Roots increafe abundantly, and no Way is 
The Stalk is round, upright, and eight Inches | fo ready as the parting them for increafing the 
high. Plant; nor is there any Advantage in raifing it 
The Flowers crown its Summit in a very ele- | from Seed, for the Flower admits no Variation. 
gant Head; they are about ten in Number; and | There is this farther Difadvantage, that the 
each having its long delicate Footftalk, they fpread | Seeds ripen poorly with us. The Plants fhould 
out, and droop downwards ; they are large, of a | be allowed a Foot Diftance, and often watered, 
delicate purple, and have a light Fragrance. | 
6:-ORIENTAL OPAHLORAIZA 
Pl. 60. The Singularity and celebrated Virtues of this |. The Root is extreamly long, flender, and va- 
1 
lour is a faint red; they are placed in little Clufters 
at 
