MICROSTYLIS 



MIGNONETTE 



2049 



Trop. Asia. M. discolor, Lindl. 9 in. : fls. handsome but very small, 

 yellow, shading to orange, on upright stalks: Ivs. red-purple, 

 bordered green. Ceylon. B.M. 5403. M. Josephiana, Reichb. f. 

 1 ft.: fls. yellow, rather large, in a raceme: Ivs. broad-ovate, bronze, 

 light green below: pseudobulbs oblong. India. B.M. 6325. M. 

 macrochila, Rplfe. 15 in.: fls. rather large, the sepals and petals 

 yellow and lip red-purple and veined: Ivs. mottled with light 

 brown and cream. Farther India. M. metdllica, Reichb. f. 9 in.: 

 fls. rose-purple, with sepals marked yellow: Ivs. oblong, acute, 

 dark glossy purple with metallic sheen, light rose underneath: 

 pseudobulbs cylindrical. Borneo. M. philippinensis, Kranzl. 

 Fls. yellow or purplish, sometimes as many as 100 in a spike 8 in. 

 or more long; lip orbicular, deeply cordate at base: Ivs. broad- 

 oblong, somewhat undulate, bright green. Philippines. M. 

 purpiirea, Lindl. 9 in: fls. yellow-purple: Ivs. dark metallic crim- 

 son above and red-gray beneath. Ceylon. M. Scottii, Hook. f. 

 6 in.: fls. yellow: Ivs. light green and cream-colored, on the margin 

 and along the rib mottled light brown. Farther India. B.M. 

 7268. M. Wdllichii, Lindl. (M. biloba, Lindl.). & in.: fls. green- 

 yellow to purplish: Ivs. green, more or less shaded purple. Burma. 



L. H. B. 



MIGNONETTE (Reseda odprata) is a branching, 

 annual herb from northern Africa, which at first grows 

 upright, but later becomes more or less decumbent 

 and wide-spreading. The leaves are simple. The fra- 

 grant small yellow-and-white flowers are borne on spi- 

 cate racemes which vary in size with different strains 

 of seed. (Fig. 2372.) 



Although mignonette has been grown under glass for 

 many years, it is only recently that growers have 

 specialized with this crop for winter forcing. Careful 

 selection of seed has resulted in greatly improved 

 strains. Formerly the mignonette spikes were scattered 

 and comparatively small; now large spikes of dense 

 flowers are being produced. The sprays are very pleas- 

 ing when arranged with carnations or other flowers 

 having scanty foliage. The fragrance of the flowers adds 

 to their popularity. The demand for mignonette has so 

 increased the importance of the crop commercially 

 that many florists are specializing in its cultivation. 



Mignonette will grow in almost any soil, but the 

 large growers prefer a medium light turfy loam. Pas- 

 ture sod is excellent, and sod from a field which has 

 been in grass for a considerable time is also good. 

 William Nicholson of Framingham, Massachusetts, 

 has been exceptionally successful in growing mignon- 

 ette, and from his cultural notes have been compiled 

 the following directions: 



In growing good mignonette, a well-prepared soil is 

 of prime importance. The same kind of soil is used as 

 for carnations, and is prepared by first plowing the 

 sod-laud after the grass has been cut, usually about the 

 first of August. After plowing, the wheel -harrow is 

 used, and then rye and Canadian white field peas are 

 sown. The last of October or the first of November, a 

 heavy top-dressing of cow- or horse-manure is applied. 

 Cow-manure is preferable. This is plowed under and 

 left until spring. As soon as it is possible to work the 

 ground, the land is wheel-harrowed several times, and 

 an application of manure is made. The soil is plowed 

 again, well disked, and bone-meal applied, about one 

 ton to the acre; the land is then ridged, and is ready for 

 the benches. This method of preparation eliminates 

 much hand work, and there is little danger of the soil 

 becoming sour, as it frequently does if the compost 

 method is practised. 



Most growers prefer to grow mignonette in raised 

 benches about 5 inches deep. An inch of well-rotted 

 stable-manure is placed on the bottom of the bench, 

 and the remainder is filled with the composted loam. 



The surface of the soil is leveled carefully, and marked 

 off in rows 6 by 8 inches apart. From six to ten seeds 

 are dropped at the intersection of each row, and 

 covered very lightly. A light watering with a fine 

 sprinkler is then given the soil, to settle it around the 

 seeds. 



Three sowings of seed are made each year, in the 

 first weeks of July, August, and September. Plants of 

 the last sowing flower until the next July. After the 

 seeds have germinated, and the seedlings have devel- 

 oped the third leaf, three strong plants are selected 



130 



and the others removed. Seed for next season's crop is 

 selected from the plants started in September. The 

 plants which produce good foliage and compact flower- 

 spikes, with large individual flowers, are selected as the 

 seed-bearing parents. 



Great care should be taken that the seedlings started 

 in July receive sufficient air. The ventilators should be 

 kept open day and night to keep the plants stocky and 

 short-jointed. During bright weather, temporary 

 shading is necessary in the middle of the day, until the 

 seedlings get their second leaf, then full sunlight 

 should be given. After the flower-spikes begin to 

 appear, all side shoots should be removed from around 

 the top of the stem. Three or four strong bottom side 

 shoots are left for a second crop. In this way a succes- 

 sion of blooms may be obtained throughout the winter. 

 As soon as the plants are well developed, a wire ring 

 is placed about each plant. Later, wires with cross 

 strings are used for supports, the same as are used for 

 carnations. 



Mignonette is injured by over-watering, and great 

 care should be taken that the soil be not too wet, 

 especially when the plants are just started. As they 

 develop, watering should be done only on bright morn- 

 ings, for if water 

 remains long on 

 the foliage, the 

 leaves become 

 spotted. 



A night tem- 

 perature of 45 

 to 48 best suits 

 mignonette. On 

 cloudy days the 

 temperature 

 should be kept 

 at 55, and on 

 bright days it 

 should never be 

 allowed to go 

 above 65. 



When the 

 plants have de- 

 veloped suffi- 

 ciently so that 

 flower-spikes are 

 forming, they 

 will require ad- 

 ditional food. It 

 is composed of 

 one part sheep- 

 manure and two 

 parts of loam 

 The two are 

 thoroughly 

 mixed and three 

 large handf uls of 

 the mixture are 

 scattered about 

 the plants in a 

 row across a 3- 

 foot bench. In- 

 stead of this top- 

 dressing, they 

 may be given a 



2372. Mignonette, Allen's Defiance. 



weak solution of liquid manure. A bushel of sheep- 

 manure is put into a bag and suspended in a barrel of 

 water for two or three days. The bag is then removed, 

 and the plants watered with the liquid. 



Mignonette is grown in pots to a limited extent. 

 There is some demand for it at Christmas and Easter, 

 and some florists always have pot-plants in stock. It is 

 more difficult to grow in pots than in beds, as it is 

 necessary to have compact, stocky plants. This requires 

 a great deal of care. The best method of culture is to 

 fill 2^2-inch pots with finely sifted soil, which has been 



