O P 



Autumn, when the Fruit is ripe, 

 which generally grows in large Clu- 

 fters,and is of a beautiful red Colour ; 

 fo that where a Wildernefs or other 

 Plantation of flowering Trees is de- 

 ligned, and the Ground is moilt, this 

 and the next are two of the moll pro- 

 per Trees for fuch Purpofes ; thefe 

 thriving much better, and will pro- 

 duce their Flowers larger, and in 

 greater Quantities, than when they 

 are placed in a dry Situation. 



The fecond Sort is very common 

 in old Gardens in moft Parts of En*- 

 land: this produces only barren 

 Flowers, which, being all very large, 

 are produced in a globular Form ; 

 fo that, at a Diftance, they refemble 

 a Snow-ball ; whence the People in 

 fome Countries give it the Name of 

 Snow - ball - tree. This Difference 

 was at firft accidental, as is the Cafe 

 of all double Flowers, which com- 

 monly arife from Seeds : and tho* 

 thefe are not productive of Fruit, 

 yet, for the fake of their Flow- 

 ers, they are much more efteemed 

 than the fingle Sort by the Garden- 

 ers. 



The flriped Sort is alfo an Ac- 

 cident, occafioned by an Obftruction 

 of the Juices, as is the Cafe of all 

 variegated Plants. This is preferved 

 as a Curiofity by fuch as are Lovers 

 of rtriped Trees and Plants; but muft 

 not be planted in a rich Soil, which 

 would caufe them to grow vigorouf- 

 ly, whereby they would be in Dan- 

 ger of becoming plain again. 



All thefe Sorts may be propagated 

 either from Suckers, or by laying 

 down their Branches, which will 

 take Root in. a Year's time; when 

 they may be taken off from the old 

 Plants, and tranfplanted either into 

 a Nurfery, where they may be train- 

 ed up for two or three Years, or 

 plac'd where they may remain for 

 good. The belt time to remove 



P 



thefe Trees is at Michaelmas, as focn 

 as their Leaves begin to decay, that 

 they may be well rooted before the 

 Drought of the next Spring comes 

 on, which is often deltrudive to 

 fuch as have been newly tranfplant- 

 ed, if they are not carefully attended 

 with Water. 



They are extreme hardy, and will 

 endure the fevereft Cold of our molt 

 Northern Situations, and are only 

 impatient of great Heat and Drought; 

 fo that they are very proper to plant 

 in very cold Soils, and Places which 

 are greatly expos'd to the North 

 Winds, where few other Shrubs will 

 thrive fo well. They will grow to 

 the Height of twelve or fourteen 

 Feet, and, if reduced to regular 

 Heads, are very ornamental during 

 the Seafon of Flowering : and their 

 Flowers are very proper to intermix 

 with Peo*nie«, and other large Flow- 

 ers, for Bafons and Flower-pots to 

 adorn Halls and Chimneys. Their 

 Seafon of Flowering is in May, tho' 

 their Flowers fometimes continue in 

 Beauty a great Part of June, efpe- 

 cially if the Weather prove cool and 

 moift. 



OPUNTIA, The Indian Fig. 

 The Characters are ; 



The Flower conjijis of many Leaves j 

 which expand in form of a Rofe, hav- 

 ing a great Number e/Stamina in the 

 Centre, which grow upon the Top of 

 the Ovary ; the Ovary aftervoard 

 become i a flfjhy umbi Heated Fruit, with \ 

 a foft Pulp, inclofmgmanyS 'eeds; which 

 are, for the moji part, angular. 

 The Species are ; 



1 . Opu N T l A vulg o herbariortim . j I ; 

 J. B. The common Indian Fig of J ' 

 the Botanifts. : 



2 . Opu N T I a minima , folio fubro- I fi 

 tundo. Tourn. Leaft Indian Fig, with fi 

 round ifh Leaves. 



3 . O P u N t i a folio obhngo, me did + \ j t 

 Toum. Middle Indian Fig, witharv L 



oblong L 



