HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



HUB 



Tiberius at all times of the year. Of the Melon 

 there are many varieties. Of the various d 

 of Melons, one of the oldest and best is the Can- 

 taloup, which, according to M. Jacquin, deri\< 

 its name from Cantalouppi. a seat belonging t> 

 the Pope, near Kome, where this sort, brought 

 from Armenia by the missionaries, was first cul- 

 tivated. The flesh of this, with its varieties, is 

 yellowish or pink. The Nutmeg and Citron va- 

 rieties, which are the more common in our 

 markets, are supposed to be the African or 

 Egyptian Melons of the early writers. The 

 Melons of Persia have long borne a high charac- 

 ter, and differ materially from the varieties 

 commonly cultivated. They are extremely rich 

 and sweet, and instead of the thick rind of the 

 common melons, they have a very thin and del- 

 icate skin, which makes a fruit of the same ap- 

 parent size contain nearly twice as much edible 

 flesh. From this peculiarity they are difficult 

 to handle and ship; and they are likewise more 

 difficult of culture, requiring a long, warm sea- 

 son to ripen to perfection. The most popular 

 Melon of the New York markets is the " Hacken- 

 sack, " a green-fleshed, finely netted variety, cul- 

 tivated in immense quantities in the vicinity 

 of Hackensack, N. J. 



Musquash Hoot. One ot the popular names of 

 Cicuta metadata. 



Musseenda. The Cingalese name of one of the spe- 

 cies. Linn. Pentandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. 

 Cinchonacece. 



A small genus of tropical evergreen shrubs. 

 M. frondosa is a very pretty species, with ter- 

 minal clusters of yellow flowers, which are sur- 

 rounded by bracts of pure white, which give it 

 a very singular appearance. The leaves of some 

 of the species are esteemed for their medicinal 

 properties. They are natives of the East Indies. 

 Propagated by cuttings. Introduced in 1814. 



Mustard Tree of Scripture. See Salvadora Per- 



Mustard. See Sinapis. 



Mutisia. Named after C. Mutis, a South Ameri- 

 can botanist. Linn. Syngenesia-Superftua. Nat. 

 Ord. Asltraceae. 



A small genus of ornamental green-house 

 climbing plants, natives of South America, 

 chiefly confined to the Andes of the West, and 

 especially of Chili. The flowers are produced 

 in terminal heads or clusters, and are mostly of 

 a pink, purple, or yellow color. They require 

 a warm place in the green-house. Propagated 

 by cuttings. Introduced in 1832. 



Myosotis. Forget-me-not. From mys, a mouse, 

 and otos, an ear; resemblance of the leaves. 

 Linn. Pentandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Boragin- 

 acecK. 



A genus of hardy and half-hardy annuals and 

 perennials, comprising numerous European, 

 Northern Asiatic, and one or two native species. 

 The lovely blue Forget-me-not is a member of 

 this genus, and a general favorite. The herba- 

 ceous species succeed best in moist places, but 

 all may be grown in pots, provided they are 

 kept well watered. They are usually grown, how- 

 ever, in cold frames like Pansies. A recent in- 

 troduction from the Azores ( M. Azoricum) bears 

 large, handsome flowers. It is the only tender 

 one of the genus. The whole are readily prop- 

 agated, either by division or by seed. 



Myrica. Bayberry, Wax Myrtle, Sweet Gale. 

 From myrio, to flow; found on the banks of 

 rivers. Linn. Dioecia-Tetrandria. Nat. Ord. M\j- 

 ricaceai. 



MYK 



A genus of green-house evergreen and hardy 

 shrubs. The former are not much grown. Of 

 the latter, M. cerifera is a shrub common to New 

 York and the Atlantic coast, growing four to 

 eight feet high. The foliage has a pleasant 

 fragrance, and is used to a large extent, in mixing 

 with flowers used in summer bouquets. In New 

 England the wax which invests the berries is 

 collected in considerable quantities. It is ob- 

 tained by boiling the berries in water, when 

 the wax melts and rises to the surface. Under 

 the name of Bayberry Tallow it is often used to 

 make candles, either alone or mixed with tal- 

 low; it is also employed in soap-making. 



My ricaria. From murike, the Greek name of the 

 Tamarisk. Linn. Monaddphia-Octandria. Nat. 

 Ord. Tamaricacece. 



Of the several species that are included in this 

 genus, M. Germanica is the only one of special 

 interest. It is a hardy evergreen shrub from 

 six to eight feet high, with very narrow, flat 

 leaves, and long spikes of delicate pink flowers. 

 It is indigenous throughout most parts of Eu- 

 rope and the Caucasus. It is of easy culture, 

 and very ornamental. Propagated by cuttings 

 of young shoots, either in spring or autumn. 



Myriophyllum. Water Milfoil. From myrios, a 

 myriad, and phyllon, a leaf; division of the leaves. 

 Linn. Monoecia-Pdyandria. Nat. Ord. Haloraga- 

 cece. 



An extensive genus of hardy aquatic plants, 

 allied to Hippuris. The several species are 

 common in ponds and ditches throughout the 

 United States. M. spicatum makes a desirable 

 plant for the aquarium. 



Myristica. Nutmeg. From myristikos, sweet- 

 smelling. Linn. Dwecia-Monadelphia. Nat. Ord. 

 MyristicacecK. 



M. moschata, a beautiful branching tree, grow- 

 ing about thirty feet high, produces the Mace and 

 Nutmegs of commerce. It is principally grown 

 in the Banda Isles, though common in Java and 

 the Molucca Islands. The male and female flow- 

 ers are on different trees. The flowers of both 

 are small, white, bell-shaped, and without any 

 calyx ; the embryo fruit appearing at the bottom 

 of the female flower in the form of a little red- 

 dish knob. The female flowers grow on slender 

 peduncles, two or three together, but it is rare 

 that more than one flower in each bunch comes 

 to maturity and produces fruit ; this resembles 

 in size a small peach, but it is rather more 

 pointed at both ends. The outer coat is about 

 half an inch thick when ripe, at which time it 

 bursts at the side and discloses the spices. 

 These are, the Mace, having the appearance of a 

 leafy net-work of a fine red color, which seems 

 the brighter by being contrasted with the shin- 

 ing black of the shell that it surrounds. This 

 is laid to dry in the shade for a short time ; but 

 if dried too much, a great part of its flavor is 

 lost by evaporation. On the other hand, if 

 packed too moist, it either ferments or breeds 

 worms. The Nutineg is contained in a shell 

 somewhat harder than that of the filbert, and 

 could not, in the state in which it is gathered, 

 be broken without injuring the nut. On that 

 account the nuts are successively dried in the 

 sun, and then by fire heat, till the kernel shrinks 

 so much as to rattle in the shell, which is then 

 easily broken, and the nutmeg released. After 

 this process they are several times soaked in sea- 

 water and lime, and then laid in a heap, where 

 they heat and get rid of their superfluous moist- 

 ure by evaporation. This process is pursued to 



