Chap. LXII.
Chrysanthemum. Corne Marigold.
Although the sorts of Corne Marigolds, which are many, are fitter for another then this worke, and for a Catholicke Garden of Simples, then this of Pleasure and Delight for faire Flowers; yet giue me leaue to bring in a couple: the one for a corner or by-place, the other for your choisest, or vnder a defenced wall, in regard of his statelinesse.
1. Chrysanthemum Creticum. Corne Marigold of Candy.
This faire Corne Marigold hath for the most part one vpright stalke, two foote high, whereon are set many winged leaues, at euery ioynt one, diuided and cut into diuers parts, and they againe parted into seuerall peeces or leaues: the flowers growe at the toppes of the stalkes, rising out of a scaly head, composed of ten or twelue large leaues, of a faire, but pale yellow colour, and more pale almost white at the bottome of the leaues, round about the yellow thrumme in the middle, being both larger and sweeter then any of the other Corne Marigolds: the seede is whitish and chaffie: the roote perisheth euery yeare.
2. Chrysanthemum Perüuianum, siue Flos Solis. The golden flower of Peru, or the Flower of the Sunne.
This goodly and stately plant, wherewith euery one is now a dayes familiar, being of many sorts, both higher and lower (with one stalke, without branches, or with many branches, with a blacke, or with a white seede, yet differing not in forme of leaues or flowers one from another, but in the greatnesse or smalnesse) riseth vp at the first like vnto a Pompion with two leaues, and after two, or foure more leaues are come forth, it riseth vp into a great stalke, bearing the leaues on it at seuerall distances on all sides thereof, one aboue another vnto the very toppe, being sometimes, and in some places, seuen, eight, or ten foote high, which leaues standing out from the stemme or stalke vpon their seuerall great ribbed foote-stalkes, are very large, broad belowe, and pointed at the end, round, hard, rough, of a sad greene colour, and bending downewards: at the toppe of the stalke standeth one great, large, and broad flower, bowing downe the head vnto the Sunne, and breaking forth from a great head, made of scaly greene leaues, like vnto a great single Marigold, hauing a border of manie long yellow leaues, set about a great round yellow thrumme, as it were in the middle, which are very like vnto short heads of flowers, vnder euery one whereof there is a seede, larger then any seede of the Thistles, yet somewhat like, and lesser, and rounder then any Gourd seede, set in so close and curious a manner, that when the seede is taken out, the head with the hollow places or cels thereof seemeth very like vnto an hony combe; which seede is in some plants very blacke, in the hotter countries, or very white, and great, or large, but with vs is neither so large, blacke, or white; but sometimes blackish or grayish. Some sort riseth not vp halfe the height that others doe, and some againe beare but one stemme or stalke, with a flower at the toppe thereof; and others two or three, or more small branches, with euery one his flower at the end; and some so full of branches from the very ground almost, that I haue accounted threescore branches round about the middle stalke of one plant, the lowest neare two yards long, others aboue them a yard and a halfe, or a yard long, with euery one his flower thereon; but all smaller then those that beare but one or two flowers, and lesser also for the most part then the flower on the middle stalke it selfe. The whole plant, and euery part thereof aboue ground hath a strong resinous sent of Turpentine, and the heads and middle parts of the flowers doe oftentimes (and sometimes the ioynts of the stalke where the leaues stand) sweat out a most fine thin & cleare Rossin or Turpentine, but in small quantity, and as it were in drops, in the heate and dry time of the year, so like both in colour, smell, and taste vnto cleare Venice Turpentine, that it cannot be knowne from it: the roote is strongly fastened in the ground by some greater roots branching out, and a number of small strings, which growe not deepe, but keepe vnder the vpper crust of the earth, and desireth much moisture, yet dyeth euery yeare with the first frosts, and must be new sowne in the beginning of the Spring.
The Place.
Their places are set downe in their titles, the one to come out of Candy, the other out of Peru, a Prouince in the West Indies.