Encyclopaedia of Gardening 233 



modern yellow species. Punicea has brownish-red flowers. They 

 like warm, sunny spots in the rock garden or border, and are easily 

 raised from seed, which is best sown when ripe in the open. Friable 

 loamy soil is best. 



Medlar (Mespilus Germanica). See Fruit. 



Megasea. See Saxifraga. 



Melissa (Balm). See Kitchen Garden Herbs. 



Melocactus. See Cactus. 



Melon. See Fruit. 



Mentha (Mini). See Kitchen Garden Herbs. 



Menyanthes (Bog Bean). See Flower Garden Water plants. 



Menziesia polifolia. See Daboecia polifolia. 



Mercury. See Kitchen Garden. 



Mertensia (merten-sia, after Professor Mertens. Ord. Boragi- 

 neae). Hardy herbaceous perennials, suited for the front of the 

 border or the rockery, thriving in almost any soil, but preferring 

 peat, and easily propagated by division in spring. Pulmonarioides 

 (syn. virginica), the Virginian Cowslip, blue, May, 18 ins. high 

 (Botanical Magazine, t. 160), is the principal species. Sibirica, with 

 blue and white flowers in May, is also good. 



Mesembryanthemum, Fig Marigold, Ice Plant (mesembryan- 

 themum, from mesembria, midday, and anthemon, flower, in allusion* 

 to the love of sun. Ord. Ficoideae). A large genus of fleshy plants, 

 producing flowers of great beauty. M. crystallinum, whose leaves- 

 glisten and sparkle, is the Ice Plant; it is used for lines in carpet 

 beds and for garnishing dishes. The majority are grown in the 

 greenhouse. They thrive in sandy loam with a third of leaf mould 

 and a little lime, and are propagated by cuttings, taken with a heel, 

 dried in the sun, and inserted in sandy soil. Coccineum, scarlet, 

 July, i ft.; cordifolium variegatum, a variegated trailer useful for 

 bedding; pyropeum (syn. tricolor), pink, May, 6 ins., are a few of 

 the best. 



Mespilus, Medlar (mes-pilus, from mesos, half, and pilos, ball, in 

 allusion to the shape of the fruit). See Fruit. 



Mezereon. See Daphne. 



Michaelmas Daisy. See Aster and Flower Garden Herbaceous 

 plants. 



Michauxia (michau-xia, after M. Michaux. Ord. Campanula- 

 ceae). M. campanuloides is a fine hardy plant, with large white or 

 pale pink Campanula-like flowers. It is not particular as to soil, 

 and may be propagated by seed or division in spring. It grows 

 about 4 ft. high, blooms in July, and is best treated as a biennial 

 (see Biennials). See the Botanical Magazine, t. 219. 



Microlepia. See Davallia. 



Mignonette (Reseda odorata). A perennial grown almost ex- 

 clusively as an annual, because it comes so readily and flowers 



