MELISSA. 
285 
MENISPERMUM. 
a_ black pulp ; whence the name of situation, and which are propagated 
Melastoma, or Black-mouth, is said 
to be given to it because it stains | 
the mouths of those who eat it. 
All the species are natives of Cey- 
lon and other parts of the East In- 
dies; and they all require to be 
grown in peat, and kept rather dry 
during winter. 
Me‘iia.—Melidcee.—The Bead 
Tree. M. Azédarach, the common 
Bead Tree, is a half-hardy shrub, 
or tree, with lilach flowers and yel- 
low berries, the pulp of which is 
poisonous; but the hard stone in 
the centre is used to make rosarics. 
There is another species, M. sem- | 
pervirens, which is a native of the 
West Indies, where it is called the 
Indian Lilach, or Pride of India. | 
Both kinds are generally kept in 
the stove in England, where they 
will ripen their seeds; but the first 
kind does very well against a con- | 
servative wall, and it has flowered | 
in the open air at Bayswater and 
other places. It will grow best in 
loam and peat, and it is propagated 
by cuttings. 
Meuia'nruus. — Ruticee.— The 
Honey -flower. A half- shrubby 
greenhouse plant, with bluish green, 
or rather gray, leaves, sometimes | 
called Sicilian Ragwort. If planted | 
in the open air, and slightly protected 
from frost, it will grow ten feet high, 
and produce its large spikes of 
brownish red flowers abundantly. 
It is a native of the Cape of Good 
Hope. It should be grown im light 
rich soil, if it be wanted to attain a 
large size; or in sand, mixed with 
a little loam and lime rabbish, if it 
be wanted to flower while yet of a 
small size. It looks very well trained 
against a south wall. 
Menr'ssa.— Labicte—The Balm. 
None of the species are particularly 
ornamental, but they are worth 
growing for the fragrance of their 
-eaves. ‘They are all hardy peren- 
nials, which will grow in any soil or 
| by dividing the roots. 
MeEvoca'crus.— Cactécee.—The 
‘Melon Thistle. All these plants 
have a sort of crown of cottony 
substance, which sometimes grows 
_to an enormous size. ‘The flowers 
are generally red, and are produced 
; around this crown. They are na- 
tives of the hottest part of the 
_tropics, and should be kept in a dry 
stove in England. They should be 
grown in a little sandy loam, mixed 
_ with two-thirds of lime rubbish ; and 
the pots in which they grow must 
_be well drained with cinders, as they 
_are very liable to damp off or rot, if 
any stagnant water be suffered to 
remain about the roots. They are 
very much improved by plunging the 
pots in which they grow into tan, 
and thus affording the plants bottom- 
heat. 
Merron Tuistte. — See Meto- 
ca’CTUS. : 
Menisre/rMum.— Menispermacee. 
—Handsome climbing shrubs, na- 
tives of Europe and North America, 
with curiously-shaped leaves, ra- 
cemes of yellowish or greenish whi'e 
flowers, and red or black berries, 
which have somewhat of an intoxi- 
cating quality. M. canadénse, which 
is the commonest species, is a hardy 
free-growing climber, admirably 
adapted for covering a wall or arbour 
in a very short time, and in a very 
ornamental manner. It is well de- 
serving of general cultivation, and 
yet it is comparatively little known ; 
perhaps on account of the modest 
colour of its elegant little drooping 
racemes of flowers, which are gen- 
erally hidden from common observers 
by the leaves. Its English name of 
Moonseed is derived from the shape 
of the seed, which resembles a cres- 
cent or half-moon. It will grow in 
any soil or situation ; and it looks 
very well on a lawn trained up a 
single pole, and with the extremity 
of its branches left to spread them- 
