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17. Ocymum '/ eylanicum farm- 

 tie frutefcens, folio calaminthce nonni- 

 hil fimili. Boerb. lnd. Alt. Shrub- 

 by perennial Bafil of Ceylon, with a 

 Leaf not unlike Calamint. 



Thefe Plants, being annual, are 

 propagated from Seeds, which mould 

 be iown in March, upon a moderate 

 Hot-bed : and when the Plants are 

 come up, they mould be tranfplant- 

 ed into another moderate Hot-bed, 

 obferving to water and fhade them 

 until they have taken Root ; after 

 which they mould have plenty of 

 Air in mild Weather, otherwife they 

 will draw up very weak : you mult 

 al fo water them frequently, for 

 they love Moilture. ]n May they 

 fhould be taken up with a Ball of 

 Earth to their Roots, and tranfplant- 

 e4 either into Pots or Borders, ob- 

 ferving to fhade them until they 

 have taken Root ; after which they 

 will require no farther Care, but to 

 clear them from Weeds, and refrefh 

 them with Water in dry Weather. 

 Though thefe Plants are only pro- 

 pagated from Seeds, yet, if you have 

 any particular Sort which may arife 

 from Seeds, which you are defirous 

 to increafe, you may take off Cut- 

 tings any time in May, and plant 

 them on a moderatcHot-bed, obferv- 

 ing to water and fhade them for 

 about ten Days; in which time they 

 will take Root, and in three Weeks 

 time will be fit to remove either in- 

 to Pots or Borders, with the feedling 

 Plants. In Augufl thefe Plants will 

 perfect their Seeds ; when thofe 

 Sorts which appear themoft diftinct, 

 fhould have their Seeds preserved 

 feparate, for fowing the following 

 Spring 



The firft is what the College of 

 Phyfician-s have prefcribed for medi- 

 cinalUfe ; and this a!fo is ufed in the 

 Kitchen ; but the fifth Sort is moll 

 eiteemed for its Beauty and Scent, 



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by thofe who cultivate them toadorr* 

 their Gardens. 



The Seeds of thefe Plants are 

 ufually brought from the South of 

 France or Italy, every Spring ; be- 

 caufe they feldom ripen their Seeds 

 in this Country, in the open Air. 

 But whoever is curious to preferve 

 the Seeds of any of the Varieties, 

 ihould place them into an airyGlafs- 

 cafe or Stove, in the Autumn, when 

 the Weather begins to be cold or 

 wet ; and by fupplying them with 

 Water, and letting them have free 

 Air every Day in mild Weather, 

 they will perfect their Seeds very 

 well in this Country. 



The fixteenth Sort is more tender 

 than any of the other. This was 

 difcovered growing wild at Campe- 

 chy, by the late Dr. William Houf- 

 toun, who fent the Seeds to England. 

 This fhould be fown on an Hot-bed 

 early in the Spring ; and when the 

 Plants are "come up, they fhould be 

 tranfplanted on another very tempe- 

 rate Hot-bed, to. bring them for- 

 ward ; and when they'have obtain- 

 ed Strength, they fhould be each 

 tranfplanted into a feparate Pot, and 

 placed either in the Stove, or on a 

 moderate Ho.t-bed, where they may 

 have a large Share of Air in warm 

 Weather ; but by being fhelterecf 

 from the Cold and Wet, the Plants 

 will perfect their Seeds very well in 

 England. 



The feventeenth Sort grows to be 

 fhrubby, and, if placed in a moderate 

 Warmth in Winter, may be pre- 

 ferved two or three Years ; but this 

 will ripen its Seeds the firft Year, if 

 the Plants are brought forward in 

 the Spring : but if this fhould fail, 

 the Plants may be placed in the 

 Stove, where they may be kept 

 through the Winter ; and the follow- 

 ing Seafon they will perfect their 

 Seeds. In the Summer the Plants^ 



fhould 



