HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



129 



MAS 



Masdevallia. Named after J. Mnsdevall, a Span- 

 ish botanist. Linn. Gynandrla-Monandrht. Nat. 

 Ord. Orchidacece. 



An extensive genus of epiphytal Orchids from 

 South America. The flowers are remarkable 

 for their singularity, and also for their beauty. 

 They require to be grown in a lower tempera- 

 ture than most Orchids, and are increased by 

 division. First introduced in 1835. 



Massonia. Named after F. Masson, a botanical 

 traveler in South Africa. Linn. .lfexandria-Mo- 

 nogynia. Nat. Ord, LiliacecK. 



A genus of small Cape bulbs. The leaves are 

 commonly two in number, lying flat on the 

 ground. The flowers are in an umbel-like head, 

 nearly sessile, between the leaves. The flowers 

 are sword-shaped, usually white, and of little 

 beauty. They are increased by offsets. They 

 may be wintered in a frame or kept in sand in 

 the green-house. Introduced in 1791. 



Mathiola. Stock-Gilliflower. Named after P. 

 Mathioli, an Italian botanist. Linn. Tetradyna- 

 mia. Nat. Ord. Brassicacece. 



In this genus we have the well-known Stock 

 in all its multifarious varieties. These, for the 

 purposes of culture, are classed in two divisions : 

 the biennial kinds, as the Brompton, Queen, 

 etc., and the annual or Ten-Week Stocks. The 

 former require to be sown the season previous 

 to that in which they are wanted to flower. 

 They do best when sown in May or June in the 

 open air, allowing them to grow up strong, and 

 when about two inches high they should be pot- 

 ted singly in small pots. This is for the pur- 

 pose of protecting them through the winter, as 

 in very severe weather, or a long continuance 

 of wet, they perish ; but being potted and 

 put in a frame they are perfectly safe, as 

 they become harder and better ripened, and 

 in the succeeding spring may be placed where 

 they are to bloom. The seeds of Ten- Week 

 .Stocks should be sown in a hot-bed or green- 

 house in February or March. As soon as the 

 plants have completed their second leaves, 

 prick out into shallow boxes, and in three or four 

 weeks they will be ready to pot in thumb pots, 

 and the plants will be sufficiently large for 

 transplanting by the end of the following April. 

 Much attention is paid to the saving of this 

 seed on the Continent, and as many as twelve 

 distinct colors may now be selected; a great 

 many more are advertised, but they are indis- 

 tinct, and we think it preferable to have a few 

 decided and brilliant colors than a multitude of 

 indefinite shades, several of which are nearly 

 duplicates of each other. The colors run through 

 nil the shades of crimson, lilac, rose, white, etc. 

 There are no true scarlets, though some cata- 

 logues continue yearly to offer such colors. One 

 of the first requisites to insure good double 

 Stocks is to put the ground intended for them 

 in the very best possible condition. It is a great 

 mistake, and but too common, to suppose that 

 the soil for flowers need not be rich; for we are 

 of opinion, from observation, that, to a great 

 extent, the double state is only brought about 

 by excess of vigor, and if this condition is lost 

 by planting in impoverished ground, it is only 

 reasonable to suppose that the flowers will de- 

 generate to their normal condition. Another 

 common error deserves notice, respecting the 

 choice of plants to bear seed. It is very gene- 

 rally supposed that, to insure seed which will 

 produce double flowers in the following season, 

 it is necessary that the seed-bearing plants 



MAU 



stand in close proximity to others which have 

 their flowers double, because it is supposed the 

 single flowers are impregnated with the pollen 

 of the double ones; but to prove the fallacy of 

 this supposition it is only necessary carefully to 

 examine the latter, and they will be found alto- 

 gether devoid of the organs bearing pollen. 

 The great secret in the production of seed likely 

 to bring double flowers is, we believe, to impart 

 extraordinary vigor to the single plants which 

 are to bear it, and every means available should 

 be resorted to for this end. There is no good 

 reason why as good seed should not be grown 

 in some portions of the United States as in any 

 part of the world. In fact, the finest Stocks we 

 have ever sesn grown were from seed saved in 

 the western part of the State of New York, and 

 that from Stocks that had been grown a number 

 of years in order to fairly test the question as 

 to whether that as well as other seeds cannot be 

 produced as well here as in Germany ; and the 

 question is settled, that one of our large dealers 

 grows and saves his own seed, and that which 

 gives the greatest satisfaction to his customers. 

 To save seed let the largest pods from the 

 strongest plants be selected, and the seed placed 

 in good ground, and there will be no lack of 

 double flowers. The Intermediate Stock is an ex- 

 cellent kind to grow in pots for early spring 

 decoration. The seed should be sown about 

 midsummer for this purpose, and the young 

 plants, after being potted, should be brought up 

 as robust as possible; keeping them in frames 

 through the winter until they are in bloom, 

 when they tend to make the green-house gay in 

 March, and in April may be turned into the 

 flower garden, whore they continue to bloom 

 for a length of time. Double varieties may be 

 perpetuated by striking the side shoots at mid- 

 summer, under a hand-glass, as is practiced 

 with pinks, but this trouble is hardly necessary 

 if the foregoing directions are observed. There 

 are several other species included in the genus, 

 only one of which, however, is often seen be- 

 yond the precincts of the purely botanical col- 

 lection; this one is the Mathiola tristis, or Night- 

 smelling Stock. It is a curious looking plant, 

 with narrow, glaucous foliage, and small, lurid 

 colored flowers, emitting an agreeable fragrance 

 in the evening, and on this account is yet pre- 

 served along Vith its more gay associates. It 

 requires to be grown in the green-house, with 

 the ordinary management of plants belonging 

 to this structure, and is readily increased by 

 cuttings. M. annua, is the original of all the 

 varieties of the Ten-Week Stocks, and M. Grceca 

 of the wall-leaved or smooth-leaved Annual 

 Stock; both of which are natives of the south 

 of Europe, and were favorably mentioned as 

 'flowers for the garden for pleasure" by Park- 

 inson in 1629. 



Matricaria. Wild Chamomile. From matrix, the 

 womb. Linn. t>yngenesia-Digyni.a. Nat. Ord. As- 

 teracea;. A common weed. 



Matrimony Vine. See Lycium. 



Maurandya. Named after Professor Maurandy, 

 of Carthagena. Linn. Didynamia-Angiospermia. 

 Nat. Ord. Serophutariaoecs. 



A handsome genus of tender climbing peren- 

 nial plants from Mexico. The colors are violet, 

 pink, purple, and white. All the species are 

 profuse bloomers, and may be treated as annu- 

 als. The seed should bo sown in February 

 or March, in a hot-bed or in the green-house, 

 and pricked out into shallow boxes, and then 



