M E N 



M E 17 



be separated and planted out where tliey are to 

 remain. As their branches are weak and Blender, 

 they require support; and when planted near 

 tree-; thrive better than in an open situation. 



The third sort may be increased by parting 

 the roots, and planting them out in the spring, 

 a little before the plants beein to shoot, in 

 warm situations where the soil is light, as in 

 strong retentive land the roots are apt to rot. 

 When planted close to a wall exposed to the 

 south or west, their stalks may be fastened 

 against the wall, to prevent their trailing upon 

 the ground ; in which situations the plants fre- 

 quently Bower. They should have a little shel- 

 ter in severe frost in order to preserve their 

 stalks. 



They afford ornament and variety as climbers 

 in the shrubberies and other parts. 



MENTHA, a genus containing plants of 

 the hardv herbaceous perennial kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Didynamia 

 Gymnospermia, and ranks in the natural order 

 of f'erticillalce or Latiatie. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a one- 

 leafed, tubular perianthium, upright, five- 

 toothed, equal, permanent : the corolla one- 

 petalled : petals upright, tubular, a little longer 

 than the calyx : border four-parted, almost 

 equal ; the upper segment wider, emarginate : 

 the stamina have four filaments, awl-shaped, 

 upright, distant, the two nearest longer: anthers 

 roundish : the pistillum is a four-cleft germ : 

 style filiform, upright, longer than the corolla : 

 stigma bifid, spreading : there is no pericar- 



Eium : calyx upright, with the seeds in the 

 ottom : the seeds four and small. 

 The species cultivated arc: 1. M. liridis, 

 Spear Mint ; 2. M. rotundifolia, Round-leaved 

 Mint: 3. M. crispa, Curled Mint; 4. M. 

 piperita, Pepper-Mint ; 5. M. gentUis, Red 

 Mint ; 6. M. Pulegium, Pennyroyal ; 7 • M. 

 cervina, Hyssop-leaved Mint, or Upright Pen- 

 nyroyal. 



The first has long, creeping, very spreading 

 roots; the stalks are upright, square, single, 

 green, rising two or three feet in height : leaves 

 spear-shaped, serrated, close-sitting, smooth, 

 very green : the stalks arc terminated by purp- 

 lish flowers, in oblong erect spikes : the stamina 

 longer than the corolla, the latter of which is 

 purplish red. It is a native of Britain, &c." 



As it is not so hot to the taste as Peppermint, 

 and bavins: a more agreeable flavour than most 

 of the other sorts, it is generally preferred for 

 culinary and other purposes. The leaves and 

 tops are used in spring salads, and eaten as 

 sauce with lamb, and, when dried, in soups, 

 &c. 



There are several varieties : as broad-leafl'J : 

 narrow -kafed ; curled-leafed; variegated-leafed ; 

 silver-striped-leafed ; gold -striped -leafed. 



nd species has the stems from tw 

 three feel in height, erect, hairy or shaggy, the 

 hairs pointing more or less downwards : the 

 leaves are somewhat cordate, rugged, strongly 

 and sharply crenate or rather senate, the teeth 

 and points of the small upper ones beins: often 

 very taper : the under side is shaggy not hoary, 

 and all the veins are fringed as it were with 

 close hairs : the spikes are several, terminating 

 erect, sharpish, not very densely whorlcd : th 

 bractcs lanceolate, hairy, sharp and projecting: 

 the flowers reddish : tile ealycine teeth broad at 

 the base ; the stamens always much longer than 

 the corolla. It is a native of several parts of 

 Europe, flowering in August and September; 

 It it found in gardens variegated. 



The third has the stems lia.ry, much branch- 

 ed, about the same height with common 

 Spear Mint : the leaves deeply indented on 

 their edges, waved and curled, light green : the 

 flowers purple, growing in thick interrupted 

 spikes at the top of the stalks: the calyx cut 

 almost to the bottom : the style standing out 

 beyond the corolla. It is a native of Den- 

 mark, or Siberia. 



The fourth species has smooth purple stalks : 

 the leaves are smaller than those of Spear 

 Mint ; they are lanceolate, serrate, very dark 

 green, with purple midrib and veins, and they 

 are a little hairy on their under side : the spikes 

 of flowers are shorter and thicker than those of 

 Spear Mint, and are broken or interrupted at 

 bottom, the lower whorls peduncled, distant, 

 consisting of from nine to twelve: the corolla 

 is of a dark purple colour, and the stamens are 

 longer than the corolla. 



In external appearance it corresponds with 

 the first sort, for which it may easily be 

 mistaken ; but in that the stem is taller, the 

 leaves have scarcely any petioles, and are nar- 

 rower in proportion to their length, the spikes 

 are longer and composed of more whorls. It is 

 a native of Britain, flowering in August. 



The fifth has several erect stems, growing in 

 tufts, about eighteen inches high, with harsh 

 somewhat hairy angles, more or less reddish in 

 the upper part, branched, leafy : the leaves 

 most crowded towards the upper part, sharplv 

 serrate, veiny, punctuated with shining dots, 

 having a few short hairs scattered over them, 

 especially about the margin, and along the 

 nerves on the back : their usual scent is much 

 like that of the first sort, but the -mell of 

 Mints is very variable. It is a native of several 

 parts of Europe. 



