_-Plinies Naturall Hiftorie. — 19 
A growabouttheir fides. Andif a man would have the head of theroot wax big, the leaves which 
ufnally be broad and large, ought to be bended downe into theearth round about, and focove- 
red with mould;forby this means all the fap and nourifhmentis'diverted fromthe leafe andiun- 
neth backeintotheroot. Thefe Squilles or Sea-onions grow in exceéding great abundance 
within the Baleare IflandsandEbufus, asalfo throughout all Spaine. Pythagoras the Philofo- 
pher wrote one entire volume of thefe Onions, wherein hee collected their medicinable vertues 
and properties, which 1 meaneto deliver.in thenext booke. <0...) eosin bes cou Qnavels 
As touching other bulbousplants, there bee fundrickindsof:them, differing all incolour, 
quantitie, and {weetnefle of taft: for fome there bee of them good tobee eaten raw, asthofe of 
Cherrhonefus Taurica. Nextunto them,arethey of Barbarie,and moft commended tor good. 
B nefle;& thenthofethat growin Apulia. The Greekshaveferdownetheirdiftinctkindsinthefe 
tearms, Bulbine,Setanios,Pythios,Acrocorios, * Agilops, and Sifyrinchios. Bur ftraunge it *sather, Herne 
is of this Sifyrinchios laft named, how the foot and bottom of the root will grow downe fiillin, papalese 
winter; buzin the Spring when the Violets appeare, the fame diminitheth and gathereth fhost 
upward : by which meanes the head indeed of the root feedethandthriveth thie berter.: Ia’ this 
ranke of bulbous plants, is tobe fetthat, which in Aigyptthey call Aron, [7 WVake-Robin:] for 
bigneffe of the headit commeth next to Squilla beforefaid:: the leaves tefemblethe hearb Pati, 
ence or gatden Docke: it rifeth up with a ftreight ftem or ftalke twocubits high, as thicke,as a 
good round cudgell. As touching the root, itis of a foftand tender {ubftance,and may be eaten 
raw.lf you would have good of thefe bulbous roots, you hadneedto dig them out of the ground 
C before the Spring ; forif you pafle thattime, they will prefently bee the worfe. You hall know 
when they be ripe and in their perfetion, by the leaves; for they will begin to wither at the bot- 
tom. Iithey be elder, or if theit roots grow fmalland long, they are rejected as nothing worth. 
Contrariwile, the ruddieroot, the rounder,and the biggeft withall,are moft commended.Know 
this moreover, That the bitterneffe of the root in moft of them, lyeth in the crowne (asit were) 
or top of the head; for the middle parts be {weet. The auncienr writers held opinion, That none 
of thefe bulbous plants would grow, but of feed onely :howbeit bothin the paftures and fields 
about Prenefte,they come up of themfelves; and alfo among the corne lands & arable grounds 
of the Rhenians, they grow beyond all meafure. : poolage 
’ 
D ors Cuab vie | 
ee Of the roots, leaves, floures, and colours of Garden-hearbs. 
‘ 
L] Garden plants ordinarily, put out but one fingle root apeece ; as for example,the Ra- 
difh, Beer, Parfley,and Mallow: howbeitthe greateft and largeft of all others is the root 
of the hearb Patience or garden Docke, which isknowne to run downe into the ground 
three cubits deepe. In the wild of this kind (which isthe common Docke) the roots befmaller, 
yet plumpe and {welled; whereby, after they be digged up and laid above ground, they will live 
alongtime. Some there be of them,that have hairie {trings or beards hanging to their roots,as 
namely Parfley or Ach,and Mallowes. Others there be againe, which have braunching roets, 
E asthe Bafill, As che roots of fome bee carnous and flethie altogither, and namely of the Beet; 
but efpecially of Saffron; fo in others they confift of rind and carnofitie both , as we may feein 
Radifhes and Rapes or Turneps. Andye fhall have of them that be knottie and full of joynts, as 
for example,the root ofthe Quoich graffe or Dent-de-chien. Such hearbs as have no ftreight 
and dire root,tun immediatly into hairie threads, as we may {ee plainly in the Orach & Bleet, 
As forthe fea Onion Squilla, and fuch bulbous plants, the garden Onions alfo and Garlicke, 
they put forth their roots ftreight, and never otherwife . Many hearbs there be, which fpring of 
their owne accord without fetting or fowing, and of fuchmany there be thatbraunch moreand 
clove in root than in leafe, like as wee may fee in Afpalax, *Parietarie of the wall,and Saffton. + padicinm, 
Moreover,a man fhall fee thefe hearbs floureat once togither withthe Afh namely the running 
F orcreeping Thyme, Southernwood, Naphews, Radifhes, Mints, andRue ; and by that time as 
others begin toblow,they are readie to fhed their floures : whereas Bafill putteth forth flours by 
parcels one after another, beginning firft beneath and fo going upward by leifure :which isthe 
-caufe that of all others itis longeftin the floure. The fame isto be feene in the hearb Heliotro- 
pium,| 7. Ruds or Turnfol.] Infome the floures be white, in others yellow, and in others pene 
ae : 5 
