AN ENCYCLOPADIA 
OF HORTICULTURE. 391 
MULBERRY, PAPER. Sce Broussonetia papy- 
rifera. 
MULCHING. The process of applying various sub- 
stances as a covering for soil above the roots of trees and 
plants, in order to prevent evaporation, and so preserve a 
uniform degree of heat and moisture. Mulching is also 
largely practised for other reasons, more particularly that 
of supplying a top-dressing of rich manure to established 
plants, so that its nutritive properties may be washed 
down by rain or artificial watering. All rectntly trans- 
planted trees and shrubs, more especially fruit-trees, are 
greatly assisted by being provided with a Mulching of 
litter, half-rotted manure, leaves, or something of a 
similar description. This acts beneficially in retaining 
warmth and moisture, thus considerably neutralising the 
evil effects of drought, extreme cold or heat, Straw 
chaff, short litter, cocoa-nut fibre, and spent tan, are 
excellent non-conductors, where enriching properties are 
not required. For plants or trees needing help in 
summer, to perfect their flowers or fruits, a Mulching 
of fresh horse-dung, or good rotten manure, laid on the 
surface of the soil, and well watered occasionally, will 
often prove of immense permanent benefit. 
MULGEDIUM. This genus is now included, by 
Bentham and Hooker, under (which see). 
MULLEIN. See Verbascum. 
MULTIFARIOUS. Very numerous, or arranged in 
many rows. 
MULTIFID. Cleft half-way into many parts. 
MULTIPARTITE. Divided into many parts. 
MUNDTIA named after Heinrich Mundt, a botanist 
of the seventeenth century). SYN. Nylandtia. ORD. 
Polygalee. A monotypic genus, the species being a 
small, much-branched, spinous, rigid, greenhouse shrub. 
It thrives in sandy peat. Propagated in May, by stiff 
young shoots, placed in sand, under a bell glass, in a 
cold frame. are 
white, with a red keel, small, 
e =e 
J to * ttered, obtuse, 
— Branches smooth, apex, angular. 
— 
h. 2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1 
MUNTINGIA (named after Abraham Munting, 1626- 
1683, at one time Professor of Botany in the University 
of Groeningen). 
M. Calabura (Calabura 
those of — x 
Muraltia—continued, 
M. stipulacea (stipul red, lateral, beardless, June, 
L li ¥ 
£ ternate, ason a ha 1801. (A. B. R. 363, under name 
MURICATE. Covered with short, sharp points, 
MURRAYA (named after John Andrew Murray, 
1740-1791, a Swedish botanist, once Professor of Medi. 
cine and Botany in the University of Gottingen, and a 
pupil of Linnwus), Syn. Orp, Rutacea, A 
small genus (about four species) of unarmed stove trees 
or shrubs, inhabiting tropical Asia and tropical and 
Western sub-tropical Austr Flowers rather 
thrive in a compost of turfy loam and peat, Pro- 
pagated by cuttings of ripened wood, which should be 
taken with leaves intact, and inserted in sand, under a 
bell glass, in moist bottom heat, 
605. MURRAYA EXOTICA, showing Habit, and Flowering 
“se Branchlet — 7 — ; i 
ote ce. y 
R. 
obtuse. A. lot. India, 1771. 
605. (B. . 
e nfo ower foware pci and ore betes 
MURUCUJA. Included under Passiflora (which see). 
MUSA (Maus is the Arabic name of the genns, but 
Linnaus 2 it after Antonins Musa, the phy- 
sician of Augustus). Banana, or Plantain-tree, Onn, Beita- 
rom. eighteen plants have —— 
described species, but some of these are nery * 
vated — They are large- growing, stove, ö 
w tropical regions of the globe. 
Fi borne on a nodding spike, clustered tog ether 
segs protected by large, sometimes highly coloured 
the leaves, however, are very long, 
and closely compacted, so as to form a kind of false 
: 
3 
. 
a 
summer. M. Ensete and M. superba are two of the best 
and hardiest for the purpose. A sheltered position is 
