MIGNONETTE. 



200 



MIGNONETTE. 



is confined to the two kinds of 

 Medlars ; and even of these, M. 

 grandifiora seems rather doubtful. 

 Mespilus germdnica, the common 

 Medlar, and its varieties, are now, 

 therefore, the sole support of this 

 once extensive genus ; and they 

 are not only trees of considerable 

 size, but trees that, notwithstanding 

 their large white blossoms, are too 

 coarse growing to be called orna- 

 mental. 



Metroside^ros. — Myrtacece. — 

 Australian and Cape shrubs, with 

 tassel-like flowers, nearly allied to 

 Melaleuca, One species {M. verus), 

 the Ironwood, is a tree and a native 

 of the East Indies. The most beau- 

 tiful of the Australian shrubs for- 

 merly considered as belonging to 

 this genus, are now removed to the 

 genus Callistemon ; and these have 

 generally crimson flowers. The re- 

 maining species are generally kept 

 in a greenhouse in England, but 

 they may be grown in the open air, 

 if they are slightly protected during 

 winter ; and in sheltered situations 

 they will often stand several years 

 without any protection whatever. 

 They should be grown in a mixture 

 of sandy loam and peat, but any 

 common garden soil will do ; and 

 when grown in the open air, they 

 should be trained against a wall. 

 They are propagated by cuttings of 

 the ripened wood, which cannot be 

 stmck without the help of sand, 

 bottom-heat, and a bell-glass. 



Mignonette. — Reseda odorata. 

 — This well-known plant is gene- 

 rally considered as an annual, and 

 sown every year as such ; but it is, 

 in fact, a shrub, and if preserved 

 carefully through the winter, in two 

 or three years its stem will become 

 quite woody. In this state it is 

 called the Tree Mignonette, and is 

 supposed by many to be a different 

 species. It is a native of Barbary, 



and grows wild on the sandy shore 

 of Algiers. The name, Mignonette, 

 which is French for "the little 

 darling," is supposed to have been 

 given to it on account of its seeds 

 having been first sent to England 

 from Paris. It is rather singular, 

 however, that it should be known 

 by a French name in England, 

 while in France it is called by its 

 Latin name of Keseda. 



Mignonette should always be sown 

 in light sandy soil, if possible ; as 

 when grown in a rich loam, it loses 

 its fragrance. "With a little manage- 

 ment, it may be contrived to have 

 Mignonette in flower every month 

 during the year, Avithout the aid of 

 either a regular gardener or a hot- 

 house. In order that the plants 

 may flower in winter, the seeds 

 should be sown in the open border 

 in July. Or, if it be more conve- 

 nient, the seeds may be sown in 

 pots in that month, placing the 

 pots in a balcony, outside a window, 

 or in any situation where they will 

 have abundance of light and air. 

 In September, the plants should be 

 removed to the pots in which they 

 are to flower, and only a sufficient 

 number left in each to make the 

 pots look full, without the plants 

 being so crowded as to occasion them 

 to be drawn up. This number 

 must, of course, vary according to 

 the size of the pot ; but it should 

 never exceed eight, or be less than 

 three. The pots should then be 

 taken into the house, and placed in 

 any convenient situation in a room 

 without a fire, till they have formed 

 their blossom-buds, which will be 

 the latter end of October, when they 

 should be removed to a window in a 

 room where there is a fire ; when 

 they will throw out abundance of 

 branches, and will continue flowering 

 beautifully during November, De- 

 cember, and January ; and if they 



