316 THE GREENHOUSE. [CHAP. XL 



calceolarias near London are those of Mr. 

 Catleugh of Chelsea. 



Myrtles should be grown in a soil composed 

 of peat and loam, in which the former predo- 

 minates: they should be regularly watered, and 

 frequently syringed. Some persons nip oft' the 

 tips of the young shoots, to make the plants 

 grow bushy : but, though it has this effect, it is 

 a bad practice with the flowering kinds, as it 

 prevents them from producing flowers. A 

 better plan is to make cuttings, and first to 

 plant them in very small pots, gradually chan- 

 ging them into larger ones, till the plants have 

 acquired a bushy habit of growth. Myrtles 

 will seldom flower well when of a large size, 

 unless they are planted in the open ground, 

 and when kept in pots they should be allowed 

 plentv of room. 



Mimulus. — Some of the plants belonging to 

 this genus are very handsome, particularly the 

 hybrids raised by the nurserymen from M. car- 

 dinal is, M. roseus, M. luteus, and M. guttatus. 

 These species are all herbaceous, and all natives 

 of South America, Mexico, and California. 

 M. tricolor is a very beautiful annual species, 

 which was introduced in 1848 from California. 

 They are all nearly hardy, and, though gene- 

 rally grown in a greenhouse, they will stand 

 quite v 1 . ell in the open air, the perennial kinds 

 dying clown to the o-round in winter, but send- 

 ing up fresh and very vigorous shoots in spring. 

 A\ hen these plants are grown in the open 

 ground, it should be in a shady moist situa- 

 tion; and, when they are kept in pots, they 

 should alwavs stand in saucers half-full of water. 



