AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



329 



Marigold continued, 



dried slowly, and stored for use in soups, &c. Seeds 

 should be sown in March or April, in drills 1ft. apart, 

 and the plants thinned, in due course, to a similar 

 distance. There are single and double-flowered varieties 

 cultivated, both forming excellent mixed border plants, 

 apart from their use referred to above. The half-hardy 

 annual Marigolds employed in summer bedding and for 

 mixed flower borders, belong to the genus Tagetes, the 

 African (see Fig. 514) being T. erecta, and the French 



FIG. 515. FRENCH MARIGOLD (TAGETES PATULA). 



(see Fig. 515) T. patula. Lemon and orange-coloured 

 varieties predominate in the African Marigolds, while the 

 French sorts include, in addition to yellow, flower-heads 

 of a rich velvety brown, beautifully striped and marked. 

 Numerous dwarf strains are now obtainable, which, 

 from their compact and floriferous habit, are very de- 

 sirable and attractive garden plants. They are increased 

 readily by seeds, which should be sown in a frame by 

 the middle of April, and the seedlings afterwards trans- 

 planted outside. A moderately rich light soil is most 

 favourable for Marigolds, and a space of about 9in. 

 between the plants should be allowed in bedding ar- 

 rangements. 



MARIGOLD, MARSH. See Caltlia. 



MARILA (the native name of the tree in the 

 Antilles). SYN. Scyphcea. ORD. Ternstrcemiacece. A 

 small genus (four species) of very ornamental stove ever- 

 green West Indian and South American trees or shrubs. 

 Flowers disposed in axillary racemes; sepals and petals 

 four or five, latter imbricated. Leaves opposite, parallel, 

 penniveined. The undermentioned is the only species 

 known to our gardens. For culture, see Mahurea. 

 M. racemosa (racemose), fl. greenish- white, in axillary racemes. 



August. I. opposite, oblong-lanceolate, elegantly veined, entire, 



full of pellucid dots. h. 15ft. West Indies, 1827. Tree or 



shrub. 



MARIFOSA LILY. See Calochortus. 



MARJORAM (Origanum). Marjoram is cultivated 

 for the use of its aromatic leaves, either in a green or 

 a dried state, for flavouring and other culinary purposes. 

 The common species (0. vulg'are) is a native hardy peren- 

 nial, seldom grown in gardens. Two species generally 

 cultivated are Sweet or Knotted Marjoram (O. Majorana), 



Vol. II. 



Mar j oraxn continued. 



and Pot Marjoram (0. Onites). Sweet Marjoram is not 

 an annual, but is usually treated as such, as the plants 

 will not stand the winter outside. Seeds may be sown, 

 for an early supply, in March, on a gentle hotbed, and 

 again, in a warm position, in the open ground, during 

 April. The plants may be thinned, when large enough, 

 to 6in. or Sin. apart. Cut the tops as they begin to 

 flower, about July, and dry them slowly in the shade, for 

 use in the following winter and spring. Pot Marjoram 

 is a hardy perennial, which prefers a warm situation 

 and a rather light soil. It is usually increased by divi- 

 sions, in early spring, or by cuttings, inserted under a 

 hand glass, in summer. A space of 1ft. between the 

 rows, and nearly as much from plant to plant, should 

 be allowed. The tops should be dried and preserved in 

 the same way as Sweet Marjoram, and they may also be 

 used for similar purposes. 



MARLEA (its native name in Assam). SYNS. 

 Pseudalangium, Rhytidandra, Stylidium, Stylis. ORD. 

 Cornaceae. A small genus (four or five species) of 

 glabrous, pubescent, or tomentose, greenhouse trees or 

 shrubs, natives of tropical and sub-tropical Asia, the 

 warmer parts of Australia, and the Pacific Islands. 

 Flowers white, hermaphrodite, disposed in axillary, simple 

 or dichotomous cymes, with articulated pedicels ; petals 

 four to eight, free, or cohering in the base of the tube. 

 Leaves alternate, petiolate, membranaceous, oblong-lan- 

 ceolate or broadly- cor date, rotundate, oblique, entire or 

 angularly lobed. The species best known to cultivation 

 is 0. begonicefolia. It thrives in a compost of sandy 

 loam and peat. Propagated by cuttings of short side 

 shoots, detached with a heel, and inserted in sand, under 

 glass. 



M. begoniaefolia (Begonia-leaved), fl. yellowish, in axillary 

 dichotomous cymes. Summer. I. alternate, exstipulate, petio- 

 late, unequally cordate, acuminated, angularly lobed or entir 



An evergreen shrub or tree, often small, but sometimes attaining 

 a height of 60ft. Northern India, China, and Japan, 1824. 

 (B. E. xxiv. 61.) 



Northern India, China, and Japan, 18 

 Marbled ; traversed by irregular 



MARMORATE. 



veins of colour. 



MARROW, VEGETABLE. See Cucurbita Fepo 

 ovifera and Vegetable Marrow. 



MARRUBIUM (the old Latin name used by Pliny, 

 probably derived from the name of a town in Italy). 

 ORD. Labiatce. A genus comprising about thirty species 

 of hardy perennial, usually tomentose or woolly herbs, 

 of no horticultural value. Flowers in generally many- 

 flowered axillary whorls. Leaves wrinkled, rarely cordate 

 at the base, usually cut; floral leaves similar, exceeding 

 the flowers. M. vulgare is the common Horehound 

 (which see for culture). 



MARSDEXTIA (named after William Marsden, 

 F.E..S., 1754-1836, author of a History of Sumatra). In- 

 cluding Harrisonia. SYNS. Leichardtia and Sicyocarpus. 

 OHD. Asclepiadece. This genus comprises about sixty 

 species of stove, greenhouse, or half-hardy, twining or 

 rarely sub-erect shrubs or sub-shrubs, disposed over the 

 tropical regions of the New, as well as the Old, World, 

 with one species extending to the East Mediterranean 

 region. Flowers small or medium, much smaller than in 

 Stephanotis ; calyx five - parted ; corolla campanulate, 

 urceolate, or rarely salver-shaped or sub-rotate. Leaves 

 opposite. Marsdenias thrive in a sandy loam, with a 

 little leaf mould or peat. Propagated, during April or 

 May, by cuttings, inserted in sand, under a bell glass, in 

 gentle bottom heat. 

 M. Cundurango (Cundurango). fl. whitish ; corolla between 



bell-shaped and funnel-shaped, very firm. Summer. I. stalked, 



oblong-rotunclate, acute or acuminate, with greyish-yellow hairs 



beneath. Central America. Stove climber. SYN. Gonolobus 



Cundurango. 

 M. erecta (erect). /. white, sweet-scented, numerous ; segments 



of the corolla limb beardless; cymes umbel -formed. July. 



2 u 



