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Read Ebook: The Botanical Magazine Vol. 06 Or Flower-Garden Displayed by Curtis William
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Ebook has 187 lines and 15357 words, and 4 pages
THE
BOTANICAL MAGAZINE;
OR,
Flower-Garden Displayed:
IN WHICH
The most ornamental FOREIGN PLANTS, cultivated in the Open Ground, the Green-House, and the Stove, are accurately represented in their natural Colours,
TO WHICH ARE ADDED,
Their Names, Class, Order, Generic and Specific Characters, according to the celebrated LINNAEUS; their Places of Growth, and Times of Flowering:
TOGETHER WITH
THE MOST APPROVED METHODS OF CULTURE.
A WORK
Intended for the Use of such LADIES, GENTLEMEN, AND GARDENERS, as with which to become scientifically acquainted with the Plants they cultivate.
ARMSTRONG.
LONDON:
COLUTEA FRUTESCENS. SCARLET BLADDER SENNA.
DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA.
Of the several species of Colutea cultivated in our garden the one here figured, is distinguished by the brilliancy of its' flowers, the largeness of its pods, and the downy appearance of the under side of its leaves.
It is readily raised from seeds sown in the open ground, plants from which flower the August following, and, in favourable seasons, ripen their seeds; in order, however, that they may ripen them with more certainty, MILLER, recommends the sowing them early on a gentle hot-bed.
A dry soil suits this species best.
SALVIA AUREA. GOLDEN SAGE.
DECANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
Such as are delighted with the singular rather than the beautiful appearances of plants, cannot fail of ranking the present species of sage among their favourites.
The leaves are nearly round, and have a pleasing silvery hue: a few of them only, and those chiefly at the extremities of the young shoots, are of the form described by LINNAEUS in his specific character of the plant, and hence COMMELIN'S description is to be preferred, as leading us with more certainty to a knowledge of the plant; the colour of the leaves, the colour and unusual magnitude of the blossoms, are indisputably the most striking features of the species, and therefore to be resorted to: for my own part, as a friend to the advancement of the science, rather than as the follower of that great man, I see no good reason why colour should not in many instances, especially where expressive characters are wanting, form a part of the specific character in plants, as well as in animals: we are told indeed of its inconstancy. I would ask--who ever saw the colour of the leaves or blossoms of the present plant to vary? and, on the contrary, who ever saw its leaves constant in their form?
If suffered to grow, it will become a shrub of the height of six or seven feet.
SYRINGA VULGARIS. COMMON LILAC.
DIANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
Few shrubs are better known in this country than the Lilac few more universally cultivated; there is scarcely a cottage it does not enliven, or a shrubbery it does not beautify.
It has long had a place in our gardens; both GERARD and PARKINSON describe two sorts, the blue and the white; to these another sort is added by more modern writers, superior in beauty to the original, as producing larger bunches of flowers, of a brighter hue, having more of the purple tint and hence called by some the purple Lilac, MILLER considers the three as different species.
The flowers of the Lilac possess a considerable degree of fragrance, but not of the most agreeable kind; our readers perhaps, will not be displeased to hear the opinion of old GERARD on this point, delivered in his own words:--"They have a pleasant sweete smell, but in my judgement they are too sweete, troubling and molesting the head in very strange manner: I once gathered the flowers, and laid them in my chamber window, which smelled more strongly after they had lien together a few howers, with such a ponticke and unacquainted savor, that they awaked me from sleepe, so that I could not take any rest until I had cast them out of my chamber."
Though a native of Persia, it bears our severest winters without injury, has a pleasing appearance when in bud, flowers in May, and is readily propagated by suckers; but finer plants, in the opinion of MILLER, are raised from seeds.
It will grow in almost any soil or situation, even in London, but, to flower well, it must have a pure air.
TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
To the Cape of Good Hope, that never-failing source of rare and beautiful plants, we are indebted for most of our Ixias, and among others for the present species, which though not of that value, nor possessing the delicacy or fragrance of the blossoms of some others, is a very desirable plant, not only as an object of curiosity, from the transparency of the base of the corolla, but as it adds much to the brilliancy of a collection, is easily obtained, and as easily propagated.
It flowers in May and June, but its flowering may be prolonged by putting its bulbs into pots at different periods, or accelerated by artificial heat.
It produces offsets more plentifully than many of the genus.
CORONILLA VALENTINA. RUE-LEAVED CORONILLA.
DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA.
It is a native of Spain, growing, as CLUSIUS informs us, by road-sides, in sandy places, and on the declivities of hills.
Cultivated here in 1656, by J. TRADESCANT, jun. H. K.
SELAGO OVATA. OVAL-HEADED SELAGO.
DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA.
Mr. AITON informs us, that it was introduced to the royal garden at Kew, from the Cape, by Mr. MASSON, in 1774.
It recommends itself not so much on account of its beauty, curious structure of its flowering spikes, and the fragrance of its blossoms.
It is a greenhouse plant, and flowers during most of the summer; its blossoms are white with a yellow spot on the two uppermost, and sometimes on all the segments of the corolla, and an orange spot at the mouth of the tube.
Is propagated by cuttings.
IRIS SAMBUCINA. ELDER-SCENTED IRIS.
TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
This species of Iris, said to be a native of the South of Europe, derives its name from the smell of its flowers, which very much resembles that of elder in bloom.
It is one of the tallest and handsomest of the genus, in a rich moist soil acquiring the height of three feet or more; it is therefore more proper for the shrubbery than the flower-garden.
It flowers about the latter end of May, and is readily increased by parting its roots in autumn.
The Iris of PARKINSON, referred to in the synonyms, accords so exactly with our plant, in every circumstance but smell, which is not mentioned, that we have no doubt but it was cultivated in our gardens in his time.
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