100 glenny's handbook 



ceous perennials of easy culture. Propagated by division, and 

 growing in ordinary garden soil. They are rather pretty. 



MELOCACTUS. Melon Thistle Cactus. [Cactaceae.] 

 A small group of the Cactus family, with the ribbed spiny 

 character of Echinocactus, but usually growing much larger, 

 especially in the case of 3/. communis, the Turk's Cap, which 

 sometimes measures as much as two feet in diameter : they 

 are crowned at top by a curious woolly tuft, from among 

 which the small flowers are protruded. Large plants of this 

 are sometimes imported, but they are difficult to preserve alive, 

 in consequence of the injuries they sustain in their transit. 

 They must be treated like the Echinocacti. Soil, loam and lime 

 rubbish. Increased b v seeds, or by offshoots treated as cuttings : 

 the latter should be partially dried before being planted. 



MENIOCUS. [Cruciferte.] Hardy annual. Common 

 soil. Seeds. M. linifoUus, flowers yellow. 



MENISCIUM. [Polypodiaceae.] Interesting evergreen 

 ferns, of which the greater number require a stove. Soil, 

 turfy peat, loam, and sand. Increased by division or by 

 sowing the spores. M. simplex is a warm greenhouse fern. 



MENISPERMUM. Moonseed. [Menispermaceas.] The 

 genus contains one or two hardy deciduous climbers, with 

 good-looking foliage, but not otherwise ornamental. The 

 principal are M. Canadeiise, M. Carolimim, otherwise called 

 Cocculus Carolinus, and M. Dahuricum. 



MENTZELIA. [Loasaceae.] Half-hardy herbaceous 

 perennials. Soil, sandy loam and peat. Increased by 

 cuttings in sand in a hotbed, or by seeds in a slight heat. 



MEXYANTHES. Buckrean. [Gentianacese.] Hardy 

 aquatic perennial. Moist boggy soil, or in shallow water. 

 Increased by division. M. trifoliata, flowers white and pink. 



MENZIESIA. [Ericaceae.] Pretty dwarf hardy deci- 

 duous shrubs. Sandy peat soil. Increased by layers or by 

 cuttings under a hand-light. M. ferruginea, flowers rust 

 colour. M. glohularis, flowers yellowish brown. 



MERENDEPiA. [Melanthaceae.] Hardy Crocus-like 

 bulb. Soil, peat and loam. Increased by off"sets. 



MESEMBRYANTHEMUM. Fm Marigold. [Mesera- 

 bryaceae.] A very extensive family of greenhouse succulent 

 plants, the greater number being of shrubby habit. They 



