PREFACE.
The present periodical publication owes its commencement to the repeated solicitations of several Ladies and Gentlemen, Subscribers to the Author's Botanic Garden, who were frequently lamenting the want of a work, which might enable them, not only to acquire a systematic knowledge of the Foreign Plants growing in their gardens, but which might at the same time afford them the best information respecting their culture—in fact, a work, in which Botany and Gardening (so far as relates to the culture of ornamental Plants) or the labours of Linnæus and Miller, might happily be combined.
In compliance with their wishes, he has endeavoured to present them with the united information of both authors, and to illustrate each by a set of new figures, drawn always from the living plant, and coloured as near to nature, as the imperfection of colouring will admit.
He does not mean, however, to confine himself solely to the Plants contained in the highly esteemed works of those luminaries of Botany and Gardening, but shall occasionally introduce new ones, as they may flower in his own garden, or those of the curious in any part of Great-Britain.
At the commencement of this publication, he had no design of entering on the province of the Florist, by giving figures of double or improved Flowers, which sometimes owe their origin to culture, more frequently to the sportings of nature; but the earnest entreaties of many of his Subscribers, have induced him so far to deviate from his original intention, as to promise them one, at least, of the Flowers most esteemed by Florists.
The encouragement given to this work, great beyond the Author's warmest expectations, demands his most grateful acknowledgements, and will excite him to persevere in his humble endeavours to render Botany a lasting source of rational amusement; and public utility.
Botanic Garden,
Lambeth-Marsh,
1787.
[1]
Iris Persica. Persian Iris.
Class and Order.
Triandria Monogynia.
Generic Character.
Corolla 6-partita: Petalis alternis, reflexis. Stigmata petaliformia.
Specific Character and Synonyms.
IRIS Persica corolla imberbi, petalis interioribus brevissimis patentissimis. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p. 79. Sp. Pl. p. 59.
IRIS bulbosa præcox minus odora Persica variegata. Moris. hist. 2. p. 357.
XIPHIUM Persicum. Miller Dict. ed. 6. 4to.
The Persian bulbous Flower-de-luce. Parkins. Parad. p. 172.
A native of Persia. Flowers in February and March. Its beauty, early appearance, and fragrant blossoms, make it highly esteemed by all lovers of flowers; like the Hyacinth or Narcissus it will blow within doors in a water-glass, but stronger in a small pot of sand, or sandy loam; a few flowers will scent a whole apartment: it will also blossom in the open air, but requires warmth and shelter; it is propagated by offsets and seeds; the best flowering roots are imported from Holland, they bear forcing well; and hence this plant may be had to flower a full month or six weeks in succession.
Parkinson remarks, that in his time (1629) it was very rare, and seldom bore flowers.
[2]
Rudbeckia purpurea. Purple Rudbeckia.
Class and Order.
Syngenesia Polygamia Frustranea.
Generic Character.
Receptaculum paleaceum, conicum. Pappus margine quadri-dentato.
Calyx duplici ordine squamarum.
Specific Character and Synonyms.
RUDBECKIA purpurea foliis lanceolato-ovatis alternis indivisis, radii petalis bifidis. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p. 651. Sp. Pl. p. 1280.
DRACUNCULUS virginianus latifolius, petalis florum longissimis purpurascentibus. Moris. Hist. 3. p. 42. f. 6. t. 9. f. 1.
This species differs from the other plants of the genus, in the colour of its outermost petals, which are long, narrow, purple, and pendulous, and not unaptly resemble small pieces of red tape. Notwithstanding it is a native of the warm climates Carolina and Virginia, it succeeds very well with us in an open border: but, as Mr. Miller very justly observes, it will always be prudent to shelter two or three plants under a common hot-bed frame in winter, to preserve the kind, because in very severe winters, those in the open air are sometimes killed. It flowers in July. As it rarely ripens its seeds with us, the only mode of propagating it, is by parting the roots; but in that way the plant does not admit of much increase.
[3]
Helleborus hyemalis. Winter Hellebore, or Aconite.
Class and Order.
Polyandria Polygynia[A].
Generic Character.
Calyx 0. Petala 5 sive plura. Nectaria bilabiata, tubulata. Capsulæ polyspermæ erectiusculæ.
Specific Character and Synonyms.
HELLEBORUS hyemalis flore folio infidente. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p. 431. Sp. Pl. p. 783.
ACONITUM unifolium bulbosum. Bauh. Pin. 183.
The Winter's Wolfesbane. Park. Parad. p. 214.
Grows wild in Lombardy, Italy, and Austria, affects mountainous situations, flowers with us in February, and hence is liable to be cut off by severe frosts. "Is propagated by offsets, which the roots send out in plenty. These roots may be taken up and transplanted any time after their leaves decay, which is generally by the beginning of June till October, when they will begin to put out new fibres; but as the roots are small and nearly the colour of the ground, so if care is not taken to search for them, many of the roots will be left in the ground. These roots should be planted in small clusters, otherwise they will not make a good appearance, for single flowers scattered about the borders of these small kinds are scarce seen at a distance; but when these and the Snowdrops are alternately planted in bunches, they will have a good effect, as they flower at the same time, and are much of a size." Millers Gard. Dict.