MEL 



375 



M E N 



largest establishment will not require 

 more than four times as manv. 



M E L O N, W A T E R . The Water 

 Melon is cultivated in the United States 

 precisely like the Nutmeg. There are 

 many kinds, of which the INIountain 

 Sprout, Mountain Sweet, and Black 

 Spanish are most esteemed at Philadel- 

 phia. The culture is so simple, and 

 so generally understood, that direction 

 must be needless. To produce fine 

 Melons on heavy or wet soil, it is ne- 

 cessary to prepare a light rich compost 

 in sufficient quantity to supply the wants 

 of the vines — hills four or five feet in 

 diameter, and two feet in depth. 



MELON PUMPKIN. CucurUta me- 

 lopepo. 



MELON THISTLE. Melocactus. 



MELON TURK'S CAP. Melocactus 

 cotnmunis. 



MEMECYLON. Two species. 

 Stove evergreen shrubs. Young cut- 

 tings. Sandy peat and loam. 



MENIOCUS linifolius. Hardy an- 

 nual. Seeds. Common soil. 



MENISCIUM. Five species. Stove 

 Ferns. Dtvision or seeds. Loam and 

 peat. 



M E N I S P E R M U M . Five spe- 

 cies. Hardy deciduous or stove ever- 

 green twiners. Division, cuttings, or 

 seeds. Common soil. 



MENONVILLEA fiUfoUa. Hardy 

 annual. Seeds. Light loamy soil. 



M E N T H A . Mint. Twenty-five 

 species. Hardy herbaceous perennials. 

 Division. Common soil. 



Spear or Green Mint. M. vlridis. 

 Is employed in sauces and salads, as 

 well as dried for soups in winter. There 

 are two varieties, the broad and narrow 

 leaved, equally good. 



Penny Royal. M. Pulegium. Is cul- 

 tivated for its use in culinary and phar- 

 maceutical preparations. There are 

 two varieties, the trailing, which is 

 usually cultivated, and the upright. 



Peppermint. I\[. piperita. For dis- 

 tilling, and the production of its pecu- 

 liar oil and water. 



Soil and Situation. — These plants are 

 best grown on a tenacious soil; even a 

 clay is more suitable to them, than a 

 light silicious one. It should be mode- 

 rately fertile, entirely free from stag- 

 nant moisture, and consequently on a 

 dry subsoil or well drained. A wet 

 soil makes them luxuriant in summer. 



or situation that is sheltered from the 

 meridian sun, is always to be allotted 

 them, as in such they are most vigorous 

 and constant in production. A com- 

 partment entirely secluded from the in- 

 fluence of the sun is, however, equally 

 unfavourable with one that is too much 

 exposed. 



Time and Mode of Propagation. — 

 They arc propagated by parting the 

 roots in February or March, September 

 or October, and by slips or olfsets at 

 the same seasons. The mints likewise 

 may be increased by cuttings of the an- 

 nual shoots in May or June, as well as 

 by cuttings of the roots in spring or au- 

 tumn. For production of green tops 

 throughout the winter and early spring, 

 the spearmint is often planted in a hot- 

 bed, and more rarely pennyroyal, every 

 three weeks during October and three 

 following months. 



Planting in the open ground at what- 

 ever seasons, or by whatever mode, 

 should if possible be performed in 

 showery weather, or water must be 

 given plentifully, especially to cuttings. 

 If propagated by divisions of the root, 

 they must be inserted in drills two 

 inches deep; if by slips or cuttings, 

 they must be five or six inches in 

 length, and their lower half being di- 

 vested of leaves, planted to that depth 

 in every instance, being set in rows ten 

 inches apart each way. 



The only after cultivation required 

 is the constant destruction of weeds, 

 which are peculiarly injurious. 



After July, the produce of green tops 

 is of little value; they should therefore 

 be allowed then to advance to flower, 

 which they will produce towards the 

 beginning of September, when they are 

 in the fit state for gathering, either for 

 drying or distilling. In either case the 

 stalks should be cut just previously to 

 the flower opening. At the close of 

 September or beginning of October, the 

 stems must be cut down as close as 

 possible, the weeds cleared entirely 

 away, and a little fine fresh mould 

 spread over them. The beds should 

 never be allowed to coniinue longer 

 than four years ; by constant gathering, 

 the plants not only become weakened, 

 but the roots becoming matted and 

 greatly increased, produce only numer- 

 ous diminutive shoots or entirely decay. 



Forcing. — For Ibrcing, a moderate 



but ensures decay in winter. A border '. hot-bed is necessary, earthed over about 



