R U 



R U 



much {mailer than thofe of the other 

 Sorts, and are of mort Duration, 

 feldom continuing above one Day. 



Thefe Plants are propagated by 

 Seeds, which muft be fown early in 

 the Spring in Pots filled with light 

 rich Earth, and plunged into a mo- 

 derate Hot-bed ; and when the Plants 

 come up, they muft be tranfplanted 

 each into a feparate imall Pot filled 

 with rich Earth, and plunged into 

 an Hot-bed of Tanners Bark, where 

 thev muft be (haded from the Sun, 

 until they have taken new Root ; af- 

 ter which time they muft have frefh 

 Air admitted to them every Day in 

 warm Weather, and be conftantly 

 watered three or four times a Week 

 during the Summer-feafon. If the 

 Plants thrive well, thofe of the firft 

 and third Sort will produce Flowers 

 the July following, and will perfect 

 their Seeds in Auguji ; but the Roots 

 will continue, provided they are 

 plunged into the Bark bed in the 

 Stove, and kept in a moderate Tem- 

 perature of Heat. 



The fecond Sort, which rifes 

 much higher than cither of the other, 

 will require to be fhifted into larger 

 Pots, by the Beginning of June ; 

 and then they ftiould be remov'd in- 

 to the Stove, or a Glafs-cafe, where 

 they may have a larger Share of 

 Air ; otherwife they will draw up 

 very weak, which will prevent their 

 Flowering. This Sort dies to the 

 Root every Winter ; but if the Pots 

 are placed in a warm Stove, their 

 Roots will live, and put out again 

 the following Spring, fo may be 

 continued feveral Years. This Sort 

 will ripen Seeds- very well, provided 

 the Plants are fhelter'd when they 

 are in Flower. 



The firft Sort is by much the moft 

 beautiful Plant, the Flowers being 

 four times as large as thofe of either 

 of the other Sorts, and are of a fine 



blue Colour ; fo that it makes a fine 

 Appearance when it flowers ; and as 

 the Plants are fmall, 'they may be 

 kept in a little Com pal's, and are as 

 well worth preferving, as moft ten- 

 der Exotic Plants. When this Plant 

 is miffed (which mould be the Be- 

 ginning of April, before the new 

 Leaves are put out), great Care 

 Ihould be taken, that the Roots are 

 not broken or bruifed ; for as they 

 confift of many thick Tubers, if theie 

 are injured, the Plant is frequently 

 deftroy'd. 



RUSCUS, Knee-holly, or But- 

 chers-broom. 



The Characters are ; 



The Flower- cup co-fjis of one Leaf, 

 which is cut into federal Di-vi/ions, 

 out of which is produced a globular 

 bell-foaped Flower, conffling a If 9 of 

 one Leaf ; in the Ct?itre of which 

 arifes the Pointal, which afterward 

 becomes a foft roundijh Fruit, in 

 which are inched tor* or two hard 

 Seeds. 



The Species are ; 



1. Ruscus TKyrtifolius acuLatus. 

 Town. The common Knee-holly, 

 or Butchers-broom. 



2. Ruscus anguftifolius, f rutin 

 folio innafcente. Taunt. Narrow- 



lcav'd Butchers-broom, or Alexan- 

 drian Laurel, with the Fruit grow- 

 ing on the Leaves. 



3. Ruscus latif alius, fruclu folio 

 innafcente. Toum. Broad - leav'd 

 Butchers - broom, or Alexandrian 

 Laurel, with the Fruit growing on 

 the Leaves. 



4. Ruscus angujlif alius, fruclu 

 fummis ramulis innafcente. Toum. 



Narrow-leav'd Butchers - broom, or 

 Alexandrian Laurel, with the Fruit 

 growing upon the Tops of the Bran- 

 ches. 



C. Ruscus latifolius erenatvs, 

 fruclu e crenis foliorum prodeuntihus . 

 Broad leav'd Alexandrian Laurel, 



with 



