MESEMBRYANTHEMUM, Nat. Ord. Ficoidea. 

 The Mesembryanthemums are pretty, half hardy annuals, with delicate, succulent, almost 



transparent leaves and branches. The two most popular varieties in America are those commonly 

 known as Ice-plant and Dew-plant. Both are excellent for baskets, vases, 

 pots, etc., the Ice-plant having thick, fleshy leaves and stems, covered with 

 little shining globules, which it will take some investigation to convince 

 the spectator are not " truly ice." The flowers are small, white, and un- 

 important. The Dew-plant has a smooth, light green, pretty, dewy-looking 

 leaf, a graceful slender, habit, and a very pretty pink flower. Both are 

 drooping plants, and therefore, with their pretty foliage, peculiarly adapted 

 to basket and vase work. The increased attention given to these graceful 

 decorations has made the Mesembryanthemums and other plants adapted 

 to this work very popular. The culture of plants with pretty ornamental 

 foliage that can be grown from the seed early in the spring so as to produce 



a good effect during the season, should be encouraged, as it places very large resources in the 



hands of the gardener at a mere trifling cost. 



MIGNONETTE, (Reseda,) Nat. Ord. Resedacea. 

 We need not describe the Sweet Mignonette, that every one knows and everybody loves, and 



yet very few cultivate, compared with the many who might thus show their love for this sweet 



little flower. In Europe, especially in England and Germany, we 



noticed Mignonette growing in every possible place and in every im-' 



aginable receptacle. For the wealthy, beautiful and costly Mignonette 



pots and boxes are provided, that will elegantly 



adorn the window sill, or nicely fill and beautify any 



niche or bracket. Those not blessed with so 



much of earthly good use ordinary flower pots, while 



the children press into the service broken teapots 



and old crockeiy of every conceivable pattern. Seeds 



of Mignonette can be sown at any season, so that 



by having pots prepared at different times a sue- H? 



cession of flowers can be secured, and Mignonette 



adorn the button hole and perfume the house at all times. The florists of Europe have intro- 

 duced several new varieties of Mignonette among their novelties, claiming for them much 



superiority over our old and well loved Sweet Mignonette ; but these claims, we have always 



found, on trial, to have but little foundation in truth. The New White, with a larger flower and 



more robust growth, and a little whiter in color, is the only new kind of merit. 



MIRABILIS, Nat. Ord. Nyctaginacece. 



Mirabilis Jalapa is the well known Marvel of Peru, a native, we believe, of South America, 

 and also of the West Indies, and first found in Peru, soon after the discovery of the country, 

 when everything from that strange land was considered marvelous. It 

 was at one time supposed that the root of this plant furnished the Jalap 

 of commerce, hence the name, but this was found to be untrue. It is 

 also known as the Four-o'clock, because its flowers expand about that 

 time in the evening and fade the next morning. By the French it is 

 called Belle of the Night. It is really a good plant, 

 about two feet in height, well branched, with bright 

 foliage, fragrant flowers, desirable colors, and fine 

 markings. Plants should be about two feet apart. 

 It makes a nice summer hedge if set in a row about 

 a foot apart. Seed should be planted in the open 

 ^ ground, where the plants are desired. The Mirab- 

 ilis is generally treated as a half-hardy annual. 

 The roots, however, may be taken up in the autumn and preserved like Dahlias, during the win 

 ter; but as plants are obtained so readily from seed, and flower so soon, this course is seldom 

 practiced. The flower shown in the engraving is about two-thirds the natural size. 



77 



