LlBi 2. 
Of the Hiftorie of Plants, 
mi 
The Dcferiftion. 
1 -pHe firfl bein g the manured or garden Sperage, hath at his^rft riling out of the ground 
1 thicke tender lhoots very foft and brittle, of the thickene'$b of the greateft fwans quil, 
in talle like vnto the greene beane, hailing at the top a certaine fcalpeft bud.which in time grow- 
eth to a branch of the height of two cubits, diuided into diuers other fmaller -branches, whereon 
are fet many little leaues like haires, more fine than the leaues of Dill : among which come forth 
frnall moffie yellowifh floures, which yeeld forth the fruit, greene at the firft, afterward red as Co. 
ralljofthebignefie ofa fmallpeafej wherein is contained groife blackifh feed exceeding hard,' 
which is the caufe that it lieth fo long in the ground after the fowing, before it do fpring vp. The 
roots are many thicke foft and fpongie firings hanging downe from one head, and fpred them- 
felues all about, whereby it greatly increafeth. 
2 We haue in our mari Ih and low grounds neere vnto the fea, a Sperage ofthiskinde, which 
differeth a little from that of thegarden, and yet in kinde there is no difference at all, but only in 
manuring, by which all things or moft things are made more beautifull,and larger. This may be 
called Afyaragm jduftris, marifh Sperage. 
4 Afparagusfyluejlris aculettus. 5 Ajp tragus fyluejlris SpimfiisCluJiil 
W ride prickly Sperage. Wilde thornie Sperage. 
^ 3 Stone or mountaine Sperage is one of the wilde ones, fet forth vnder the title of Corruda ' 
which Label calleth AJparagtis pctr&us ■ and Galen , Mjacanthinus^ that doth very well refemble thole 
of the garden, in ftalkes, roots, and branches, fauing that thofe fine hairy leaues which are in the 
garden Sperage be foft, blunt, and tender; and in this wilde Sperage, fiiarpe hard and pricking 
thornes, though they be fmalland llender : the root bereofis round, of the bigneffe ofa peafe,and 
of a blacke colour* the roots are long, thicke, fat, and very many . 
4 ‘ This fourth kinde differetli from the laft defcribed, being a wilde Sperage of Spaine and 
Hungarie: the plant is altogether fet with fharpe thornes (three or foure comrning forth toge- 
ther) as are the branches of Whinnes, Gofe, orFurfen : the fruit is blackewhenit is ripe, and full 
ofa greenifh pulpe, wherein lie hard and blacke feeds, fometimes one, othervvhiks two in a berry : 
. r 'hc roots are like the others, but greater and tougher. 
A a a a a a 5 Carols# 
