To remoue Tulipas after they haue shot forth their fibres or small strings, which grow vnder the great round rootes, (that is, from September vntill they bee in flower) is very dangerous; for by remouing them when they haue taken fast hold in the ground, you doe both hinder them in the bearing out their flower, and besides, put them in hazzard to perish, at least to bee put backe from bearing for a while after, as oftentimes I haue proued by experience: But when they are now risen to flower, and so for any time after, you may safely take them vp if you will, and remoue them without danger, if you haue any good regard vnto them, vnlesse it be a young bearing roote, which you shall in so doing much hinder, because it is yet tender, by reason it now beareth his first flower. But all Tulipa roots when their stalke and leaues are dry, may most safely then be taken vp out of the ground, and be so kept (so that they lye in a dry, and not in a moist place) for sixe moneths without any great harme: yea I haue knowne them that haue had them nine moneths out of the ground, and haue done reasonable well, but this you must vnderstand withall, that they haue not been young but elder rootes, and they haue been orderly taken vp and preserued. The dryer you keep a Tulipa roote the better, so as you let it not lye in the sunne or winde, which will pierce it and spoile it.
Thus Gentlewomen for your delights, (for these pleasures are the delights of leasure, which hath bred your loue & liking to them, and although you are herein predominant, yet cannot they be barred from your beloued, who I doubt not, wil share with you in the delight as much as is fit) haue I taken this paines, to set downe, and bring to your knowledge such rules of art, as my small skill hath enabled mee withall concerning this subiect, which of all other, seemed fittest in this manner to be enlarged, both for the varietie of matter, and excellency of beautie herein, and also that these rules set forth together in one place, might saue many repetitions in other places, so that for the planting and ordering of all other bulbous rootes, and the sowing the seedes of them, you may haue recourse vnto these rules, (tanquam ad normam & examen) which may serue in generall for all other, little diuersitie of particulars needing exception.
The Place.
The greater Tulipas haue first beene sent vs from Constantinople, and other parts of Turkie, where it is said they grow naturally wilde in the Fields, Woods, and Mountaines; as Thracia, Macedonia, Pontus about the Euxine Sea, Cappadocia, Bithynia, and about Tripolis and Aleppo in Syria also: the lesser haue come from other seuerall places, as their names doe decipher it out vnto vs; as Armenia, Persia, Candye, Portugall, Spaine, Italy, and France. They are all now made denizens in our Gardens, where they yeeld vs more delight, and more encrease for their proportion, by reason of the culture, then they did vnto their owne naturals.
The Time.
These doe flower some earlier, some later, for three whole moneths together at the least, therein adorning out a Garden most gloriously, in that being but one kinde of flower, it is so full of variety, as no other (except the Daffodils, which yet are not comparable, in that they yield not that alluring pleasant variety) doe the like besides. Some of the Præcoces haue beene in flower with vs, (for I speake not of their owne naturall places, where the Winters are milder, and the Spring, earlier then ours) in the moneth of Ianuary, when the Winter before hath beene milde, but many in February, and all the Præcoces, from the beginning to the end of March, if the yeare be kindly: at what time the Medias doe begin, and abide all Aprill, and part of May, when the Serotines flower and fade; but this, as I said, if the yeare be kindly, or else each kinde will be a moneth later. The seede is ripe in Iune and Iuly, according to their early or late flowring.
The Names.
There haue beene diuers opinions among our moderne Writers, by what name this plant was knowne to the ancient Authors. Some would haue it be Cosmosandatos, of the Ancient. Dodonæus referreth it to πυπῶν of Theophrastus, in his seuenth Booke and thirteenth Chapter: but thereof he is so briefe, that besides the bare name, wee cannot finde him to make any further relation of forme, or quality. And Bauhinus, vpon Matthiolus Commentaries of Dioscorides, and in his Pinax also, followeth his opinion. Camerarius in his Hortus Medicus is of opinion, it may be referred to the Helychrysum of Crateua. Gesner, as I thinke, first of all, and after him Lobel, Camerarius, Clusius and many others, referre it to the Satyrium of Dioscorides: and surely this opinion is the most probable for many reasons. First, for that this plant doth grow very frequent in many places of Greece, and the lesser Asia, which were no doubt sufficiently knowne both to Theophrastus, and Dioscorides, and was accounted among bulbous rootes, although by sundry names. And secondly, as Dioscorides setteth forth his Satyrium, so this most commonly beareth three leaues vpon a stalke (although sometimes with vs it hath foure or fiue) like vnto a Lilly, whereof some are often seen to be both red, in the first springing, and also vpon the decaying, especially in a dry time, and in a dry ground: the flower likewise of some is white, and like a Lilly; the roote is round, and as white within as the white of an egge, couered with a browne coate, hauing a sweetish, but not vnpleasant taste, as any man without danger many try. This description doth so liuely set forth this plant, that I thinke wee shall not neede to be any longer in doubt, where to finde Dioscorides his Satyrium Triphyllum, seeing wee haue such plenty growing with vs. And thirdly, there is no doubt, but that it hath the same qualities, as you shall hereafter heare further. And lastly, that plant likewise that beareth a red flower, may very well agree with his Erythronium; for the descriptions in Dioscorides are both alike, as are their qualities, the greatest doubt may be in the seede, which yet may agree vnto Lin or Flaxe as fitly, or rather more then many other plants doe, in many of his comparisons, which yet wee receiue for currant. For the seede of Tulipas are flat, hard, and shining as the seede of Linum or Flaxe, although of another colour, and bigger, as Dioscorides himselfe setteth it downe. But if there should be a mistaking in the writing of λὶνου for κρὶνου or λεῖριου in the Greeke Text, as the slippe is both easie and likely, it were then out of all question the same: for the seede is very like vnto the seede of Lillies, as any man may easily discerne that know them, or will compare them. It is generally called by all the late Writers, Tulipa, which is deriued from the name Tulpan, whereby the Turkes of Dalmatia doe entitle their head Tyres, or Caps; and this flower being blowne, laide open, and inuerted, doth very well resemble them. We haue receiued the early kinde from Constantinople, by the name of Cafa lale, and the other by the name of Cauala lale. Lobel and others doe call it Lilio-narcissus, because it doth resemble a Lilly in the leafe, flower, and seede, and a Daffodil in the roote. We call it in English the Turkes Cap, but most vsually Tulipa, as most other Christian Countries that delight therein doe. Daleschampius calleth it Oulada.
The Vertues.
Dioscorides writeth, that his first Satyrium is profitable for them that haue a convulsion in their necke, (which wee call a cricke in the necke) if it be drunke in harsh (which we call red) wine.