372 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



FA. Eeferred, by Bentham and Hooker, to 

 Ipomoea. 



MINT (Mentha). There are three species of Mint, all 

 hardy perennials, cultivated more or less in gardens, for 

 the use of their tops or leaves in the preparation of 

 sauces, or for other culinary purposes. They are popu- 

 larly known as Pennyroyal (M. Pulegium); Peppermint 

 (M. piperita) ; and Spearmint (M. viridis). 



Pennyroyal is least used of the three. It is readily 

 propagated by division of the roots, in autumn or spring, 

 and succeeds best in a moist, loamy soil. When trans- 

 planting, a space of 1ft. should be allowed between the 

 rows, and half that distance between the plants. 



Peppermint is grown chiefly for the use of its tops 

 for distillation, to obtain the valuable cordial well known 

 by the same name. Propagation may easily be effected by 

 lifting the roots, in February or March, dividing them, 

 and planting again in shallow trenches about 9in. apart, 

 covering with 2in. of soil. Cuttings in summer, or 

 offsets in spring, may also be utilised for increasing a 

 stock. A moist situation is preferable, but Peppermint 

 will succeed in almost any soil when once started into 

 growth. The tops should be cut off just as they are 

 coming into flower, and distilled as soon as possible 

 afterwards. The beds are much benefited by an annual 

 topdressing of good soil. 



Spearmint is most largely in request, particularly in 

 spring and early summer. A good stock should be kept 

 up, so that plenty may be available for forcing. The 

 propagation and cultivation are the same as given above 

 for Peppermint. A portion of the tops should be cut 

 when coming into flower, and suspended in a cool shed 

 for winter use. Green leaves are always preferable to 

 dry ones, and forcing is very easy, the only preparation 

 being the insertion of a quantity of roots in a box of 

 soil, which should be placed in a temperature of about 

 60deg., and kept watered. Forcing will generally be 

 necessary from November to May, a succession being 

 kept up by the introduction, at intervals, of an addi- 

 tional supply of roots. 



FIG. 580. FLOWERING BRANCH OF MIRABILIS JALAPA. 



MIRABILIS (from mirabilis, wonderful). Marvel 

 of Peru. STNS. Jalapa, Nyctago. OBD. Nyctaginece. 



Mirabilis continued. 



A genus comprising about ten species of very ornamental 

 greenhouse or hardy di-trichotomously branched, glabrous 

 or glandular-pubescent, perennial herbs, confined to the 

 warmer parts of America. Flowers white, scarlet, or 

 various- coloured, large, fragrant or inodorous ; involucres 

 one to many-flowered, in often densely-branched cymes ; 

 perianth tube elongated, constricted above the ovary. 

 Leaves opposite, lower ones petiolate, upper ones sessile. 

 Boot elongated or tuberous. The species most generally 

 grown is M. Jalapa. This thrives very well in almost 

 any ordinary garden soil, but does best in a good friable 

 loam. It is really perennial, but is usually treated as a 

 half-hardy annual, by sowing seeds, in a warm frame, 

 during the early spring, and planting the seedlings out 

 in the open in May. The other species mentioned prove 

 hardy in the South of England, and require similar 

 treatment. 



M. dlchotoma (twice -forked), fl. yellow, expanding in the 

 afternoon. July. I. ovate, sub -acuminate, obtuse at base. h. 2ft 

 Mexico, 1640. Greenhouse. 



M. Jalapa (jalap).* Common Marvel of Peru. fl. very variable, 

 white, yellow, crimson, or striped or blotched with two or more 

 of these colours, fragrant. Summer. I. large, entire, smooth. 

 h. 2ft. Mexico and Central America, 1596. Generally treated 

 as a half-hardy annual, but the tuberous roots can be taken 

 up and stored like Dahlias. See Fig. 580. (B. M. 371.) 

 M. longiflora (long-flowered), fl. varying in colour from white 

 and pink to violet, long, tubular, fragrant, viscid. July. 

 1. cordate, acuminate, h. 2ft. Mexico, 1759. Hardy. (S. E. B. 

 23.) 



M. multiflora (many-flowered).* fl. bright purple, with a tube 

 about 2m. long, disposed in terminal panicles, each panicle in- 

 closed in a cup-like involucre. I. opposite, ovate. Mexico and 

 California, 1876. A very beautiful hardy plant, clothed with 

 glandular pubescence. (B. M. 6266.) 



MIB.BELIA (named after C. F. Mirbel, 1776-1854, 

 a distinguished French physiological botanist). Including 

 Dichosema and Oxycladium. OBD. Leguminosce. This 

 genus comprises about sixteen species of greenhouse 

 shrubs, with the habit of Oxylobium or of Chorizema, 

 limited to Australia. Flowers yellow, purple-red, or blue, 

 solitary, or clustered in the axils of the leaves, or in 

 axillary or terminal racemes. Leaves opposite or whorled, 

 rarely alternate, entire or broadly lobed at the top. 

 The species here described are those best known to 

 cultivation. For culture, see Chorizema. 

 M. dilata (dilated), fl, purplish. May to August. I. cuneiform, 



dilated and trifldatthe apex. h. 3ft. 1803. (B. R. 1041.) 

 M. grandiflora (large-flowered), fl. yellow, having a red zonate 

 mark on the upper side of the vexiUum, and streaked with the 

 same on the outer surface, the wings having a red blotch on one 

 side ; axillary, twin. May. 1. alternate, ovate-lanceolate, h. 1ft 

 to 2ft. 1823. (B. M. 2771.) 



H. reticulata (netted), fl. lilac, terminal, capitate, or axillary, 

 verticillate. May to August. I. lanceolate-linear, reticulately 

 veined, quite entire, ending in a stiff mucrone. h. 1ft to 3ft 1792. 

 (B. M. 1211.) 



M. speciosa (showy), fl. purple, disposed in a terminal, inter- 

 rupted, leafy spike. May to July. L linear, rather acute, with 

 revolute, quite entire margins, h. 1ft to 2ft. 1824. (B. B. 1841, 58.) 

 MISCANTHUS (from miskos, a stem, and anthos, a 

 flower; alluding to the tall stems). ORD. Graminece. A 

 genus comprising eight species of tall grasses, of which 

 one is South African, and the rest inhabitants of Eastern 

 Asia, from the Malayan Archipelago to Japan. Panicles 

 terminal, large, with long silky hairs, or rarely almost 

 glabrous ; branches spreading, simple or scarcely divided. 

 Leaves narrow, often flat. Probably none of the species 

 have yet been introduced to our gardens. 

 MISTLETOE. See Vis cum album. 

 MITCHELLA (named after Dr. John Mitchell, of 

 Virginia, an early correspondent of Linnaeus, and an 

 excellent botanist; he died in 1768;. ORD. Rubiacece. 

 A genus comprising a couple of species of glabrous 

 or puberulous creeping herbs, one dispersed through 

 North America, from Mexico to Canada, and the other 

 inhabiting Japan. Flowers white, fragrant, axillary and 

 terminal, ebracteate, small ; calyx tube ovoid ; limb three 



