66o 



MAHOMA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN 



MATTHIOLA. 



Magnolia acjttninata, X. Amer. ; Bailloni, Cam- 

 bodia ; Campbelli, Himalayas ; coinpressa, Japan ; 

 cordata N. Amer. ; dealbata, Mexico ; Duperreana, 

 Cambodia ; Figo, China ; Fraseri, N. Amer. ; glauca, 

 N. Amer. ; globosa, Himalayas ; grandiJJora, N. 

 Amer. ; Grijfithii, Himalayas ; hypoleuca, Japan ; 

 inodora, China ; insignis, E. Indies ; kobus, Japan; 

 macrophylla. N. Amer. ; mutabilis ', obovata, Japan ; 

 parviflora, pterocarpa, Himalaya Japan \portoricensis > 

 Porto Rico : parvifolia, Japan ; pumila, Java, 

 China ; punduana, Himalayas ; salicifolia, Japan ; 

 Schiedeana, Mexico ; stellata, Japan ; Umbrella, N. 

 Amer. ; Vi ieseana, Celebes ; Yulan, China. 



Mahonia. See BERBERIS. 



MAIANTHEMUM ( Twin-leaved Lily 

 of the Valley).^ plant allied to the Lily of 

 the Valley, M. bifolium is a native of our ' 

 own country. Its habit and relationship 

 make it interesting, and it is easily grown 

 in shady or half-shady spots, and under 

 or near Hollies or other bushes. It is not 

 fitted for the border, and is more suitable for 

 the rock-garden. Syn., Convallaria bifolia. 



MALCOLMIA (Virginian Stock). - 

 The old M. maritima is a charming dwarf 

 hardy annual, and grows in any soil. 

 The varieties are the white (alba), alba 

 nana, a dwarfer white than the other, and 

 Crimson King (kermesina), a dwarf deep 

 red sort, and these are all worthy of 

 culture. The Virginian Stock, like many 

 other annuals, does not show its full 

 beauty from spring-sown seedlings, and 

 where it sows itself in the gravel it is 

 often handsome. Being easily raised it 

 is a good surfacing plant in the spring or 

 early summer garden, bolder flowers 

 standing up from its pretty sheets of 

 bloom, and in flakes, or masses, or beds, 

 it is pretty and effective. 



MALO'PE. M.grandiflorais one of the 

 most showy of hardy annuals, and effective 

 where a bold, crimson flower is desired. It 

 is 1 8 to 24 in. high, and the better the soil 

 the finer will be its bloom. If the Malope 

 be sown in the open, the ground should 

 be prepared by digging and manuring, 

 the seeds being covered to the depth of 

 \ in. in light rich soil, gently pressed 

 down. There is a white variety, M. g. 

 alba. The variety M. g. rosea, white 

 flushed with rose, is pretty and distinct. 

 M. trifida is smaller in every part, but 

 showy. These bold annuals are rarely 

 used with good effect. Like all annuals, 

 they lend themselves to rotation in the 

 flower garden. If from any cause the 

 beds or borders get worn out, it is worth 

 while to try the effect of a crop of the 

 best annuals. The Malopes, being vigor- 

 ous plants, are, as a rule, best in masses 

 or groups. S. Europe. 



Malus. See PYRUS. 



MALVA (Mallow). Stout . and some- 

 times showy perennial and half-shrubby 

 plants of which there are few pretty gar- 



den plants ; the majority being coarse and 

 weedy. One of the most beautiful 

 is the white variety of the native 

 Musk Mallow (M. moschata), which is 

 charming when in flower. It is a branch- 

 ing bush, with stems about 2 ft. high, and 

 many flowers I to ij in. in diameter. 

 It is a hardy perennial, will grow in 

 almost any soil, is useful for cutting, and 

 is slightly Musk-scented. M. campanu- 

 lata is a beautiful dwarf plant, but rare 

 and not hardy except in very mild 

 districts. It is dwarf and spreading, and 

 bears numerous lilac bell-shaped flowers. 

 M. Alcea, Moreni, and mauritanica are 

 worth growing in a full collection, and so 

 is the annual M. crispa, 3 to 6 ft. high 

 an erect pyramidal bush of broad leaves, 

 with a crimped margin, pretty in groups, 

 beds, or borders. By sowing in cool frames 

 and planting it out early in May, strong 

 plants may be obtained early in the 

 season. 



MARTYNIA. M. lutca is a pretty 

 Brazilian annual, about \\ ft. high, with 

 large roundish leaves and handsome yellow 

 flowers in clusters, useful for beds, groups, 

 and borders. It requires a light, rich, cool 

 soil, a warm place, and frequent watering 

 in summer. M. fragrans, another species, 

 has sweet-scented flowers, and, under 

 similar conditions, thrives in the open air 

 in summer. It is best in rich borders, or 

 among groups or beds of curious or distinct 

 plants. M. proboscidea and others are 

 less desirable. Seed. 



MATRICAEIA (Mayweed) Weeds, 



excepting the double variety of M. inodora, 



which is a pretty plant with feathery 



j foliage somewhat like Fennel, and with 



I large white flowers, perfectly double. It is 



I creeping, requires much space, and pegged 



down forms a dense mass which has a 



I pretty effect in autumn. It is hardy, 



I and perennial on most soils, and is easily 



propagated by cuttings or division in 



autumn or spring. Syn., Chrysanthemum 



inodorum fl.-pl. 



MATTHIOLA (Stock). Annual or 

 perennial herbs, sometimes inhabiting sea 

 cliffs. From a few wild kinds have been 

 obtained the numerous varieties of the 

 garden Stocks, which have so long been 

 among the best of our open-air flowers. 

 The principal of these species are M. 

 incana, M. annua, and M. sinuata. M. 

 incana grows wild on cliffs in the Isle 

 of Wight, and is the origin of the Biennial, 

 or Brompton and Queen Stocks ; M. annua 

 has yielded the Ten-week Stocks, and M. 

 sinuata the others. These three primary 

 divisions the Ten-week, Intermediate, 

 and Biennials require each different treat- 



