j. Ferrum Equinum GermarA- 

 cum, filiquis in fummitate. C.B. Com- 

 mon Horfefhoe-vetch. 



There are fome other Varieties of 

 this Plant, which are preferred in 

 curious Botanic Gardens ; but it is 

 rare that any of them are propaga- 

 ted, except for Variety-fake, they 

 having no great Beauty. The two 

 frft Species are brought from Abroad; 

 but the third Sort grows wild upon 

 chalky Hills in divers Parts of Eng- 

 land. 



They may be propagated by fow- 

 ing their Seeds in March upon a dry 

 Soil, in the Places where they are 

 to remain ; for they do not well bear 

 tranfplanting. The Diilance they 

 Ihould be allowed, ought to be at 

 ]eaft a Foot from each other ; fcr 

 they fpread upon the Ground, and 

 will cover that Space. Thefe pro- 

 duce their Flowers in June, and per- 

 fect their Seeds in Augujl and Sep- 

 tember. 



FERULA, Fenel-giant. 

 The Char oilers are ; 



it bath a large fucculent milky 

 Hoot : the Stalks are fpongy, and filled 

 *with Pith : the Fhivcrs confifi of 

 many Leaves, which expand in form 

 cf a Ro/e, and grow in an Umbel : 

 each Flower is fucceeded by two large 

 coal-fbaf d fiat Seeds, which are very 

 thin, and, for the mofi part, turn 

 black when they are ripe : to which 

 may be added, The Leaves are like 

 thofe of Fentl. 



The Species are ; 

 t. Ferula major, feu faeminaPli- 

 mi. M. U;;;b. PMtyH Female Fenel- 

 giant. 



2. Ferula galbanifera. Lob.Obf. 

 Broad leav'd Fenel-giant. 



3. Ferula Tin git ana, folio la- 

 tiffimo lucido. H. E.iin. Broad-leav'd 

 fhining Fenel-giant from Tangier. 



4. Ferula Tingitana> folio an- 



gufio lucido. H. L. Narrow - leaved 

 Fenel-giant from Tangier. 



5. Ferula tenuiore folio. Nar- 

 row-leav'd Fenel-giant. 



6. .Ferula Africana galbanifera, 

 folio & facie liguftici. Par. Bat. Afri- 

 can Fenel-giant, with the Face and 

 Leaf of Lovnge. 



7. Ferula Africana galbanifera % 

 folio myrrhidis. H. Amjl. African 

 Fenel-giant, with a Sefeli-leaf. 



There are ftveral other Varieties 

 of this Plant, which are preferved in 

 curious Botanic Gardens ; but as they 

 are of no great Ufe or Beauty, I 

 mail pafs them over in this Place. 



The firft of thefe Plants is pretty 

 common in the Er.glijh Gardens : 

 this, if planted in a good Soil, will 

 grow to the Height of ten or twelve 

 Feet, and more, and divides into 

 many Branches ; therefore mould 

 have a great deal of room : for if it 

 be planted too near to other Plants, 

 it will over-bear and deftroy them. 

 It dies to the Surface every Autumn, 

 and rifes again the fucceeding 

 Spring. The Flowers are produced 

 in June, and the Seeds are ripe in 

 September. 



Mr. Ray fays, That the People of 

 Sicily ufe the Pith of this Plant for 

 Tinder to light their Fires. And if 

 this was praclifed by the Antients, 

 we may eafily guefs why the Poets 

 feigned, that Prometheus ftole Fire 

 from Heaven, and carried it to the 

 Earth in an hollow Ferula. 



The fecond, fixth, and feventh 

 Sorts are fuppofed by fome Authors 

 to afrord Galbanum ; which, they fay, 

 is an Exudation from fome of thefe 

 Plants : but tiiis at prefent is not de- 

 termined ; for, if any of the three, 

 the feventh is thought to be the 

 beft. 



Thefe Plants are all very hardy, 

 except the fixth and feventh Sorts j 



which, 



