The fir ft and fecond forts are both very common 
plants, growing in the fields in moft parts of 
England ; the firft is ufed in medicine, but the fe- 
cond is of no ufe : thefe are rarely propagated in gar- 
dens, bitt I chufe to mention them, in order to in- 
troduce the other forts, which deferve a place in 
every good garden. 
The firft fort hath a perennial root, from which arife 
feveral round ftalks a foot and a half high, dividing 
into many fmall branches, which are garnifhed at 
each joint with two fmall oblong leaves, (landing 
oppofite, without foot-ftalks ; the branches alfo come 
out oppofite. The leaves have many pellucid fpots in 
them, which appear like fo many holes when held up 
againft the light. The flowers are numerous on the 
tops of the branches, (landing on (lender foot-ftalks ; 
they are compofed of five oval petals, of a yellow co- 
lour, with a great number of (lamina, not quite fo 
long as the petals, terminated by roundifti fummits. 
In the center is fituated a roundifh germen, fupporting 
three ftyles, crowned by Angle ftigmas. The germen 
afterward becomes an oblong angular capfule, with 
three cells, filled with fmall brown feeds. It flowers 
in June and July, and the feeds ripen in autumn. 
The root is perennial, fo wiil continue many years ■, 
and if the feeds are permitted to fcatter, the plants 
will come up in too great plenty, fo as to be very 
troublefome weeds. The leaves and flowers of this 
are ufed in medicine •, it is efteemed an excellent vul- 
nerary plant, and of great fervice in wounds, bruifes, 
and contufions : there is a compound oil made from 
this plant, which is of great ufe in the foregoing ac- 
cidents. From the (lamina of the flower is expreffed 
a red juice, which is fometimes ufed in colouring, 
but fades very foon. 
The fecond fort hath fquare ftalks, which rife about 
the fame height with the firft, but do not branch fo 
much. The leaves are fhorter and broader than thofe 
of the firft, and have no pellucid fpots. The flowers 
fit upon fhort foot-ftalks at the end of the branches, 
which are (haped like thofe of the other. This flowers 
and feeds at the fame time with the other, and will pro- 
pagate in as great plenty if the feeds are permitted to 
fcatter. 
The third fort grows naturally in Sicily, Spain, and 
Portugal -, this rifes with fhrubby ftalks about three 
feet high, fending out fmall branches at each joint 
oppofite, which are garnifhed with oblong oval leaves, 
placed by pairs, fitting clofe to the ftalks, which 
have a rank fmell like a goat. The flowers are pro- 
duced in clufters at the end of the branches ; they 
are compofed of five oval yellow petals, with a great 
number of ftamina ■which are longer than the petals, 
and three ftyles which are longer than the ftamina. 
The germen which fupports thefe, afterward becomes 
an oval capfule with three cells, filled with fmall 
feeds. It dowers in June, July, and Auguft, and the 
feeds ripen in autumn. 
The fourth fort grows naturally in the Canary Iflands, 
fo was formerly preferved in green-houfes during the 
winter .feafon, but is found to be hardy enough to re- 
fill the greateft cold of this country, fo is now culti- 
vated in the nurferies as a flowering fhrub ; this rifes 
with a fttrubby ftalk fix or feven feet high, dividing 
into branches upward, which are garnifhed with ob- 
long leaves, fet by pairs clofe to the branches. The 
leaves of this have alfo a ftrong odour, but not quite 
fo bad as the former. The flowers are produced at 
the end of the ftalks in clufters, and are very like 
thofe of the former fort, having a great number of 
ftamina which are longer than the petals ; this 
flowers at the fame time with the former, and perfects 
its feeds in autumn. Both thefe plants have a very 
ftrong odour like that of a goat ; fo that where the 
plants grow in large quantities, the fcent is carried by 
the wind to a great diftance ; or if the leaves are 
hand'ed, they emit the fame odour. 
Thefe two forts are propagated by fuckers, which are 
plentifully fent forth from the old plants. The bed 
ieafon for taking off the fuckers is in March, juft 
3 
before they begin to fnoot •, they fhould be planted in 
a light dry foil, in which they will endure the fevered 
cold of our climate very well. They may alfo be pro- 
pagated by cuttings, which ftiould be planted at the 
fame feafon j or by feeds, which mud be (own in Au- 
guft or September, which is as foon as they are ripe 5 
for if they are kept till fpring, few of them will growl 
but as they multiply fo fail by fuckers, the other methods 
of propagating them are feldom prabtifed in England, 
i he fifth fort grows naturally on Mount Olympus, 
where it was difcovered by Sir George Wheeler, who 
fent the feeds to the Oxford garden ; this rifes with 
many upright ligneous ftalks about a foot high, gar- 
nished with fmall fpear-fliaped leaves, fitting clofe to 
the ftalks oppofite. The flowers are produced at the 
the top of the ftalks, three or four together ; they are 
compofed of five oblong petals, of a bright yellow 
colour, with a great number of ftamina, ° which are 
of unequal lengths, fome being longer, and others 
fhorter than the petals, terminated by fmall roundifh 
fummits. In the center is fituated an oval germen, 
fupporting three (lender ftyles, which are longer than 
the ftamina. The germen afterward becomes ajn oval 
capfule with three ceils, filled with fmall feeds. This 
flowers in July and Auguft, and in warm feafons ripens 
its feeds in autumn. 
This plant is ufually propagated by parting of the 
roots, becaufe the feeds feldom ripen in this country ; 
the bed time for doing of this is in September, that 
the plants may have time to get root before winter ; 
this will live in the open air, if it is planted in a warm 
fituation and a dry foil, but it will be proper to keep 
a plant or two in pots, to be flickered under a frame 
in winter, left in very fevere winters, thofe in the open 
air ftiould be deftroyed. If this is propagated by feeds, 
they (hould be fown foon after they are ripe, in pots 
filled with light earth, and placed under a frame in 
the winter, to (helter them from froft, and in the 
fpring the plants will appear ; when thefe are fit to 
remove, fome of them may be planted in a warm bor- 
der, and others in pots, and treated in the fame way 
as the old plants. 
The fixth fort rifes with a fhrubby ftalk feven or 
eight feet high, with a reddifh bark, and fends out 
many fmaller branches, garnifhed with oval heart- 
fhaped leaves, whofe baft fits clofe to the ftalks ; 
they are placed oppofite. The flowers are produced 
at the end of the ltalks in clufters they are fmaller 
than thofe of the third fort, and have obtufe em- 
palements. The ftamina are longer than the petals, 
and are of a deeper colour. The flowers are fucceed- 
ed by conical capfules of a purplifh red colour, hav- 
ing three cells, filled with fmall feeds. It flowers in 
May, June, and July, and the feeds ripen in autumn. 
This is now propagated in the nurferies as a flowering 
fhrub, and may be treated in the fame way as the 
third and fourth forts. 
The feventh fort was firft brought to England from 
Conftantinople, but has long been very common in 
the Englifti gardens, for the roots fpread and in- 
creafe very faft, where it is permitted to (land long 
unremoved. The ftalks of this are (lender, and in- 
cline downward ; they are garniflied with oval, fpear- 
fliaped, fmooth leaves, placed by pairs, fitting clofe to 
the ftalks. The flowers are produced at the end of 
the ftalks •, thefe are very large, and of a bright yel- 
low colour, with a great number of ftamina, which 
(land out beyond the petals y there are five ftyles in 
each flower, which are of the fame length with the 
ftamina. The flowers are fucceeded by pyramidal 
feed-veftels with five cells, containing many fmall 
feeds. It flowers in June and July. 
This plant is eafily propagated by parting of the 
root ; the bed time for this is in Qbtober, that the 
plants may be well eftabliftied before the drought of 
fpring, otherwift they will not produce many flowers. 
As this will grow under trees, fo it is a very proper 
plant to place under fhrubs and trees to cover the 
ground, where they will make a good appearance 
during the feafon of their flowering. 
The 
