First, in the sowing of seedes of Tulipas, I haue not obserued (whatsoeuer others haue written) nor could of certainty learne of others, that there doth arise from the seedes of _Præcoces_ any _Medias_ or _Serotine_ Tulipas, (or but very seldome) nor am certainly assured of any: but that the seedes of all _Præcoces_ (so they be not doubtfull, or of the last flowring sorts) will bring _Præcoces_: And I am out of doubt, that I neuer saw, nor could learne, that euer the seede of the _Medias_ or _Serotines_ haue giuen _Præcoces_; but _Medias_ or _Serotines_, according to their naturall kinde. But if there should bee any degeneration, I rather incline to thinke, that it sooner commeth to passe (_à meliore ad pelus_, for _facilis est descensus_, that is) that _Præcoces_ may giue _Medias_, then that _Medias_ or _Serotines_ should giue _Præcoces_. For the choise of your seede to sowe. First, for the _Præcoces_, Clusius saith, that the _Præcox Tulipa_, that beareth a white flower, is the best to giue the greatest variety of colours. Some among vs haue reported, that they haue found great variety rise from the seede of the red _Præcox_, which I can more hardly beleeue: but Clusius his experience hath the greater probability, but especially if it haue some mixture of red or purple in it. The purple I haue found to be the best, next thereunto is the purple with white edges, and so likewise the red with yellow edges, each of them will bring most of their owne colours. Then the choise of the best _Medias_, is to take those colours that are light, rather white then yellow, and purple then red; yea white, not yellow, purple, not red: but these againe to be spotted is the best, and the more the better; but withall, or aboue all in these, respect the ground or bottome of the flower, (which in the _Præcox Tulipa_ cannot, because you shall seldome see any other ground in them but yellow) for if the flower be white, or whitish, spotted, or edged, and straked, and the bottome blew or purple (such as is found in the Holias, and in the Cloth of siluer), this is beyond all other the most excellent, and out of question the choisest of an hundred, to haue the greatest and most pleasant variety and rarity. And so in degree, the meaner, in beauty you sowe, the lesser shall your pleasure in rarities be. Bestowe not your time in sowing red or yellow Tulipa seede, or the diuers mixtures of them; for they will (as I haue found by experience) seldome be worth your paines. The _Serotina_, or late flowring Tulipa, because it is seldome seene, with any especiall beautifull variety, you may easily your selues ghesse that it can bring forth (euen as I haue also learned) no raritie, and little or no diuersity at all.