THE 





June, 1863. 



THE MIMULTJS AND ITS CULTURE. 



HE ■well-known monkey-flower is entitled 

 to much more attention than is usually be- 

 stowed upon it by amateur florists, both as a 

 useful decorative plant and as a good subject 

 for exhibition. It has been declining in 

 popularity of late years, owing probably to 

 the increased attention paid to what are 

 called "bedding plants," -which absorb so 

 much of the money and time of the pre- 

 sent race of gardeners. But it has a suffi- 

 cient number of admirers to entitle it to be 

 called a garden favourite, and is highly 

 prized by nurserymen who grovv' for market, as from its rapidity of growth 

 and profusion of bloom, it makes a good return iipon outlay. The name 

 is said to be from "Mimo," an ape, bestowed upon it because of the 

 ringent or gaping mouth of the flower. The merest novice in botany will, 

 at the first glance, discover that the Mimulus belongs to the natural order 

 Scrophidariacem, or Eigworts, in which are grouped the pentstemon, cal- 

 ceolaria, antirrhinum, and other flowers similarly constructed. There are 

 many useful species, and a few good varieties which it will be desirable to 

 enumerate, and in naming them we shall add a few words on culture. 



Hardy Species. — M. rivularis is the best of these. It makes a bril- 

 liant display of golden yellow flowers during June and July. Once 

 planted on damp loam it will spread to a larger patch every year, and 

 acquu-e a most important character in the decoration of the garden. At 

 the foot of a rockery or in the common border, it is quite at home. As it 

 dies down in autumn, the ground where it is planted should not be dis- 

 turbed. 



Glahratus, yellow ; guttatus, spotted ; ringens, blue ; and propingruans, 

 yellow, are all useful for the border and damp parts of rockeries. M. 

 moachatus, the "musk mimulu?," is very hardy as an annual, usually 



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