S I R,
«•' Bradley-Houfe, Oftohcr ig
Before the arrival of this, you will probably have received a box containing fome fpecimens of the I t I
rens, which I fent from Axminfter yefterday morning by the coach. I was difappointed in not findin«
fingle plant in flower, having found it laft year
the 10th of Oólober in the higheft perfe6lion •n?
difference can only be attributed to the forwardnefs of the he laft fpring,fpw.ig, and the JSI
backwardnefs of the W J l
one. It grows in a poor gravelly foil, on the flope of a heath, called Kilmington-Hill, from the pa r'll
1 which it is fituated, and about two miles from Axminfter. It is here confined to a fpot, not exceeding $
an acre, clofe to the road, and about fifty yards from the entrance of the heath, on the right-hand fid |*
1 going from Axminfter to Honiton. I have been thus particular in the defcription of the place, as I fear lI
; for it in feveral other parts of the heath (which is extenfive) without finding a fingle plant. It is furroudl
: by Ulex europaeus, Erica vulgaris, cinerea, and tetralix, Betonica officinalis, and Serratula tinftoria all ■
‘ dwarf ftate, and thrives beft when a few inches of the ftem are clofely covered by other plants. ’ "
S I R,
« Your obedient humble Servant,
« W E B B S E Y M O u |
The roots fent, being planted in ppts, grew readily, and flowered the enffiing autumn; from the lS
luxuriant of thofe our drawing was made: it will be found more branched than the plants ufually are 1
Kilmington-Hill; but not more fo, we prefume (if we may judge from figures) than the plant is when foul
wild in other places.
The name o f urerts has been given to this fpecies from its hot and burning tafte, not from any flinging qualitl
it certainly is a very acrimonious plant: the leaves foon after being chewed, excite confiderable heat inffl
mouth, attended fometimes with ficknefs: Mr. S ydenh am E dw a r d s , my draughtfman, to whofe ingenuitl
am under great obligations, and who has acquitted himfelf fo honourably and meritorioufly towards me, havif
handled a branch of this plant broken off from the main ftem, and afterwards rubbed his eyes tightly, had!
violent pain and temporary inflammation excited in them thereby; which however foon went off, on walhn
them with cold water.
As a rare plant, and indeed,as an ornamental one,■ this fpecies is deferving of culture; it may be raif
without any great difficulty from feeds, o r 1 increafed by parting its roots, which are perennial, not biennial!
annual, as authors have made them.