v r> 



fx Leaves, which expand in form of 

 a Rofe. ; in the Middle of which arifes 

 the Point a I, fur rounded by fx Sta- 

 mina, or 7 breeds, which afterward 

 turns to a Fruit ; in which, for the 

 moft part, three membranaceous 

 Sheaths are gather d into a little 

 Head, and are full of oblong Seeds, 

 refembling a Grain of Wheat, and 

 encompafJ, as it were, by a leafy 

 Wing. " 



The Species are 



1. Veratrum fore fubviridi. 

 Tourn. White Hellebore, with a 

 greenim Flower. 



2. Veratrum fore atro ruhente. 

 Town. White Hellebore, with a 

 dark- red Flower. 



The full of thefe' Plants is that 

 which is ordered for medicinal Ufe, 

 and is by much the ftronger and 

 more acrid Plant ; for when both 

 Sorts are plac'd near each other, the 

 Snails will intirely devour the Leaves 

 of the fecond Sort, when at the fame 

 time they fcarcely touch thole of the 

 firft. The fecond Sort doth alfo ap- 

 pear fooner in the Spring, and flow- 

 ers near a Month before the firft 

 Sort. 



Thefe Plants are very pretty Or- 

 naments, when planted in the Mid- 

 dle of open Borders of the Pleafure- 

 ^arden ; for if they are placed near 

 Hedges or Wall?, where generally 

 Snails harbour, they will greatly 

 deface the Leaves, efpecially of the 

 fecond Sort, by eating them full of 

 Holes ; and as a great Part of the 

 Beauty of thefe Plants confiils in 

 their broad-folded Leaves, fo, when 

 they are thus defae'd, the Pleafure is 

 almoft loft. 



The Leaves of thefe Plants are 

 very broad (efpecially if the Ground 

 is good where they grow), and are 

 plaited fomewhat refembli* g thofe of 

 the Palms ; but are of a much thin- 

 ner Confiilence. Fiom each Head 



of the Roots is generally producM all 

 Flower ftem, about three Feet high, jj 

 having a Spike of Flowers about a! 

 Foot in Length at their Top. The 

 Flowers of the firft Kind, being 

 green, make not much Appearance; 

 but thofe of the fecond, which are of 

 a dark-red or purple Colour, are 

 generally preferr'd by thofe Perfons 

 who cultivate them in the Pleafure- 

 garden. 



They may be propagated by part- 

 ing their Roots either in the Au- 

 tumn, or toward the Latter-end of 

 February, or the Beginning of March, 

 juft before they begin to Ihoot, and 

 mould be planted in a frelh light 

 Soil ; in which they will thrive ex- 

 ceedingly, and produce ftrong Spikes 

 of Flowers. Thefe Roots mould not 

 be remov'd oftener than once in three 

 or four. Years ; by which time (if 

 they like the Soil) they will be very 

 itrong, and afford many Heads to be 

 taken off ; but if they are frequently 

 tranfplanted, it will prevent their in- 

 creafing, and caufe them to flower 

 very weak. 



You may alfo propagate thefe 

 Plants by Seeds, which mould be 

 fown as foon as ripe, either in a Bed 

 or Box fill'd with frefti light Earth, 

 and the Ground kept conftantly clear 

 from Weeds. In the Spring the 

 Plants will appear, at which time, 

 if the Seafon be dry, you mould 

 now - and - then refrem them with 

 Water, which will greatly promote 

 their Growth ; and you mult care- 

 fully clear them from Weeds, which, 

 if permitted to grow, will foon over- 

 fpread and deltroy thefe Plants while 

 young. The Spring following, juft 

 before the Plants begin to flioot, you 

 mould prepare a Bed of freih light 

 Earth, and carefully take up the 

 young Plants (obferving not to break 

 their Roots), and plant them therein 

 about fix Inches fquare, where they 



may 



