S E 



come out; but the Flowers do not 

 appear till the Middle of July ; and 

 if the Seafon proves favourable, the 

 Seeds will ripen very well : however, 

 as the Roots increafe pretty fail, the 

 Seeds are feldom fown. 



This Plant is too tender to live 

 abroad in the Winter ; fo the Roots 

 muft be^planted in Pots filled with 

 light rich Earth ; and, during the 

 Summer-feafon, the Plants may be 

 cxposM in the open Air, with other 

 Exotic Plants, in a fnelter'd Situa- 

 tion ; but in Winter they muft be 

 placed in a warm Stove. During 

 the Summer-feafon, when the Plants 

 are growing, they will require con- 

 ftant Watering in dry Weather ; but 

 after the Leaves and Stem decay, 

 they lhould have but little Water ; 

 for too much Moifture will rot the 

 Roots, while they are inactive. 



The bedtime to part the Roots of 

 this Plant is in the Spring, about the 

 Middle of April, before they begin 

 to fhoot ; but if the Stalks of the 

 Plant are earthed up, while they are 

 growing in the Summer-time, they 

 will put out Roots ; fo that it may 

 be propagated in plenty. 



Thefe Plants, having no great 

 Beauty in their Flowers, are feldom 

 admitted into Gardens, unlefs by 

 thofe who are curious in Botanical 

 Studies : however, the third, being 

 a medicinal Plant, may be allowed 

 a Phice in fuch Gardens where there 

 are Conveniences for preserving 

 Exotic Plants. 

 SENNA. 



The Characlcrs are ; 

 Tie Flozucr,for the mojl part, con- 

 fijls cf 'five. Leaves, which arc placed 

 orbicularly, and expand inform of a 

 JRofe : the Pcintal afterward beco7nes 

 c plain incurved bivalve Pod, which 

 is full of Seeds, each being fe par a ted 

 by a double thin Membrane* 



There are ieveral Plants which 



S E 



have been ranged in this Genu?, 

 moft of which are now plac'd under 

 that of Caffw, under which Title 

 they are mention'd ; but as the offi- 

 cinal Species of this Genus has been 

 long known in the Shops by the 

 Title of Senna, I have chofen to 

 continue it under that Name here* 

 viz. 



Senna Alcxandrina, five fo/iis 

 acutis. C. B. P. Alexandrian Senna, 

 with pointed Leaves. 



The Leaves of this Plant are an- 

 nually imported from the Levant, 

 being much us'd in Medicine j and 

 in the fame Bales, there are frequent- 

 ly many of the Pods with their Seeds 

 intermix'd with their Leaves: fo that 

 from thefe Seeds the Plants may be 

 rais'd in England, by fuch as are 

 curious in Exotic Plants. 



The Seeds mould be fown early 

 in the Spring, upon a good Hot- 

 bed ; and when the Plants are come 

 up, and are ftrong enough to tranf- 

 plant, they fhould be each planted 

 in a fmall Pot filPd with. light rich 

 Earth, and plung'd into a frefh Hot- 

 bed, in order to bring the Plants for- 

 ward : for as this is an annual Plant, 

 unlefs the Plants are brought forward 

 in the Spring, they will not flowcrin 

 this Country : therefore they muft 

 be conltantly kept in the Hot-bed all 

 the Summer, obferving to admit 

 plenty of Air in warm Weather ; by 

 which Method I have frequently had 

 this Plant in Flower ; but it is very 

 rare that they perfect their Seeds in 

 England. 



If the Seeds of this Plant were 

 fent to South-Carolina, ,the Plants 

 might be propagated tiiere, fo as to 

 fumifh plenty of the Leaves, to fup- 

 p!y the Coiifumption of Great-Bri* 

 tain. 



In the Weft Indies, the Inhabit- 

 ants make ufe of the Leaves of fe- 

 veral Species cf Caftia, inftead of 



this 



