M E 



yrod-jced, will not bear cutting 

 *bove once in a Summer, and then 

 will not be of any confiderable 

 Length ; and the Stems, growing 

 very woody, will render the cutting 

 of it very troubiefome : io that, up- 

 on the Whole, it can never anfwer 

 the Trouble and Expence in cultiva- 

 . it; nor is it worth the Trial, 

 fince we I ave fo many other Plants 

 it ; too' in hot dry 

 rocky Countries, where few other 

 Hants will thrive, this may be cul- 

 tivated to great Advantage, iince 

 in fuch Situations this Plant will 

 Lve many Years, and thrive very 

 well. - 



But however unfit this may be 

 for fuch Ufes in England, yet for the 

 Beauty or its hoary Leaves, which 

 will abide ail the Year, together 

 with its long Continuance in Flow- 

 er, it deferves a Place in every good 

 Garden, where, being intermixed 

 with Shrubs of the fame Growth, 

 it make- a very agreeable Variety. 



MEDLAR. Vide Mefpilus. 



MELAMPYRUM, Cow-wheat, 

 ifie CbaraBen are; 



%be Leaves grow/ cppofite by Pairs : 

 ibe Flower confi/ls of one Leaf, is of 

 an anomalous ptrfcnated figure, and 

 divided into two Lips ; the upper mc/i 

 of which has a Spur, but the under 

 G/ie is intire : the fruit is round, and 

 divided into two Cells, containing 

 Seeds refembling Grains of Wheat. 

 The Species are ; 



1 . Mela m pvrum lute urn I at if o - 

 Hum. C. B. P. Yellow broad-leav'd 

 Cow-wheat. 



2 . M e L a M PYRUM luteum angu/li- 

 foliu?n. C. B* P. Narrow-leav'd yel- 

 low Cow -wheat. 



3. Melampyrum coma purpura- 

 fcnte. C.B.P. Cow-wheat with pur- 

 plifn Tops. 



The two firft Sorts are very com- 

 mon in Woods, and ihady Places, 



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growing near the Foot of Trees in 

 divers Parts of England, and arc 

 never cultivated in Gardens. 



The third Sort is very rarely 

 found wild in England, except in 

 Norfolk ; where, in fome of the fan- 

 dy Lands, it is often found wild: 

 but in Wefi-fri [eland and Flanders 

 it grows very plentifully among the 

 Corn ; and Clufius fays, it fpoils 

 their Bread, making it dark ; and 

 that thofe who eat of it, ufed to be 

 troubled with Heavinefs of the 

 Head, in the fame manner as if they 

 had eaten Darnel or Cockle : but 

 Mj A'.?y fays, he has eaten of this 

 Bread very often, but could never 

 perceive, that it gave any difagree- 

 able Taite, or that it was accounted 

 unwheiibrne by the Country-people, 

 who never endeavour to leparate it 

 from the Corn : and Tabem anion ta~ 

 nus declare^, He has often eaten it 

 without any Harm ; and fays, it 

 makes a very pleafant Bread. It is 

 a delicious Food for Cattle, particu- 

 larly for fattening of Oxen and 

 Cows: for which Purpofe it may be 

 cultivated in the fame manner as 

 hath been directed for the Fagopy* 

 rum, or Buck-wheat: it loves a 

 light fandy Soil. 



MELASTOMA, The American 

 Goolberry-tree, vulgo. 

 The Characters are ; 



The Empalement of the Flower it 

 of one Leaf, /welling like a Bladder ? 

 the Flower is compoftd of five round- 

 ijh Petals, which are inferted in the 

 Border of the Empakment : in the 

 Centre is fituated the Point al, attend- 

 ed by ten Stamina, Jupporting oblong 

 Summits, which are ereel : the Poin- 

 tal afterward changes to a pulpous 

 Berry, having five Cells, which are 

 filled with /mall Seeds. 

 The Species are j 



1. Melastoma fcliis ovato-lan- 

 tiolatis crenatisy nervis quinque longi- 

 tudinalibus, 



