416 
Myrtil) near eighty years old, which has been continually exposed, unless it 
be, that in some exceeding sharp seasons a little dry straw has been thrown 
upon it.”* Perhaps he may allude to the tree at Bedington. But that 
was the Spanish broad-leaved or Orange-leaved variety, which Miller and 
Bradley report to have been above eighteen feet high, and to have spread 
about forty-five feet, f 
Let us proceed now to dyes. 
Madder (Rubia Tinctorum) has a perennial root, and an annual 
stalk. The root is composed of many long, thick, succulent fibres, almost 
as large as a man’s little finger; these are joined at the top in a head, like 
the roots of Asparagus, and strike very deep into the ground, being some¬ 
times more than three feet in length. From the upper part (or head of the 
root) come out many side roots, which extend just under the surface of the 
ground to a great distance, whereby it propagates very fast; for these send 
up a great number of shoots, which, if carefully taken off in the spring, soon 
after they are above ground, become so many plants. These roots are of a 
dark colour on their outside, somewhat transparent, and have a yellowish red 
pith in the middle, which is tough and of a bitterish taste; from the root 
arise many large, four-cornered, jointed stalks, which in good land will grow 
five or six feet long, and, if supported, sometimes seven or eight; they are 
armed with short herbaceous prickles, and at each joint are placed five or six 
spear-shaped leaves, about three inches long, and near one broad in the 
middle, drawing to a point at each end; their upper surfaces are smooth, 
but their midribs on the under side are armed with rough herbaceous spines; 
the leaves sit close to the branches in whorls. From the joints of the stalk 
come out the branches, which sustain the flowers; they are placed by pairs 
opposite, each pair crossing the other; these have a few small leaves toward 
the bottom, which are by threes, and upward by pairs opposite, the branches 
are terminated by loose branching spikes of yellow flowers, which are cut 
into four segments resembling stars. These appear in June, and are some¬ 
times succeeded by seeds, which seldom ripen in England. 
Native of the South of Europe, the Levant, and Africa. Cultivated by 
Gerarde, in 
* Sylvia, B. II. c. v. p. 174. fol. 170 C. 
f Mill. Diet. edit. 1724 . Bradl. p.(34. J Hort. Kew. 
