234 Encyclopaedia of Gardening 



so quickly from seed. It is unnecessary to speak of its delicious 

 perfume. Mignonette thrives well on limestone as well as on most 

 other soils; where it does not bloom freely lime may be added with 

 advantage. Nice pots of Mignonette may be had by sowing about 

 a dozen seeds in a 5 or 6-in. pot in spring and successionally till 

 September, thinning the seedlings to half a dozen. They should be 

 given short stakes. The following are good varieties: Giant Red, 

 Giant White, Giant Yellow, Golden Queen (dwarf), Miles's Spiral; 

 the last is good for pots. 



Mildew. A fungus which attacks Roses and other plants out- 

 doors, and many plants under glass. Dusting with flowers of 

 sulphur, preferably through a pair of Malbec bellows, should be 

 tried, or the affected plants may be sprayed with perfectly fresh 

 liver of sulphur (sulphide of potassium), at the strength of oz. 

 per gallon of water for outdoor plants, and i oz. per 3 gallons 

 for indoor plants. The liquid is green and foul-smelling, but harm- 

 less to vegetation. 



Milfoil. See Achillea. 



Milk Vetch. See Astragalus. 



Milla (mil-la, after Senor Milla. Ord. Liliaceae). Pretty bulbs, 

 allied to Brodiaeas. Biflora, with white flowers in spring, is the 

 most popular species; it grows 18 ins. high, and is good for a cool 

 greenhouse (see the Botanical Register, t. 1555). Uniflora is now 

 called Brodiaea uniflora. It has white flowers in early spring, 

 height 9 ins. (see the Botanical Magazine, t. 3327) ; violacea is a lilac 

 variety. They like sandy loam, and are propagated by offsets. 



Millipedes. Small, quick-moving, many-legged creatures belong- 

 ing to the genus Julus. They do not hurt plants as a rule, but if 

 they are present in large numbers, and injury at the root is suspected, 

 pieces of Carrot may be impaled on sticks and inserted near the 

 plants as traps, to be examined daily. 



Miltonia (milto-nia, after Earl Fitzwilliam. Ord. Orchidaceae) . 

 Beautiful Orchids. The popular species vexillaria used to be 

 grown as Odontoglossum vexillarium. Its flat, roundish-oval 

 flowers are borne freely in a warm greenhouse. The Miltonias 

 should be grown in sandy, fibrous peat and Sphagnum moss. Pro- 

 pagation is by division when new growth starts, which is the best 

 stage for repotting. Liberal supplies of water will be needed 

 through the growing season, but little in winter. The principal 

 Miltonias are Candida, brown and yellow, summer, 18 ins.; grandi- 

 flora is a large variety; Clowesii, yellow, white, and purple (Botanical 

 Magazine, t. 4109) ; Roezlii, purple, white, and yellow, autumn, 

 i ft. ; Schroderiana, purple, brown, and yellow, late summer, i ft. ; 

 and vexillaria, white to rose, spring, 15 ins. (Bot. Mag., t. 6037); 

 there are many fine varieties. 



Mimosa, Sensitive Plant (mimo-sa, from mimos, a mimic, in allu- 

 sion to the irritability of the leaves. Ord. Leguminosae) . M. 

 pudica, the only species grown to any extent, has the peculiarity of 

 drooping its leaves when touched, and is therefore an object of 



