MIGNONETTE 



able that no other flower is so generally grown for fra- 

 grance No home garden is complete without some 

 Mignonette It needs a cool soil only moderately rich, 

 shade part of the day, and careful attention to cutting 

 the flowei stalks befoie the seeds are ripe It grows 

 1-2 tt high, and is treated as a half hard) annual If a 

 sowing be made lu late April, followed bj a second 

 sowing in earlj July, the season niaj be extended until 

 severe fiosts Those who wish to ha-ie homegrown 

 Mignonette m the window during wmtei may sow seeds 

 in pots lite ID summer Fi w tl .«. is will piu-se as dis 

 appointing if the treatmmt i 1 !■ 1 



Years ago Mignonette w t si i n 1 1 



flowers. E\ery floiist ^'i tl i t 



florists' roses, carnations \ i i ntli m iii 



the Mignonette lost some ot Us it liti\< iiii|MntAnte, but 

 ■nithin recent jears a new eia has opened tor it It is 

 now a highly specialized crop, being little grown h\ 

 general florists, but grown on a liige scale by a few 

 specialists 



For the botanical status of Mignonette, see Ee>,eda. 

 C. E. HUNN. 



Wholesale Cultivation of Mignonette. — Owing to 

 improved methods of cultivation practiced in recent 

 years. Mignonette has become a staple in the cosmo- 

 politan markets. A few years ago growers contented 

 themselves with little attention to the plant, letting it 

 take care of itself after phi - 



the side of rose bi-ds or l,.-i 

 growers having iiiinb- it^ 

 the result has bi-cii th.> pr 

 finding such favu- tli:ii I 

 abandoned. As \-i i. ■ !! _ 

 offered to the puM: 

 long they will tuki : i , 

 plants, htv !., ,. 



the seed in a row along 

 Now, however, certain 

 u' and seed a specialty, 

 ..11 of improved strains 

 I. cnreless methods are 



l-lants in pots are not 

 I ations are that before 



L.vorite Christmas and 



well fitted, since they 



.uuping and odoriferous 



are useful hous 

 qualities. 



Mignonettes in beds or benches for winter-flowering 

 will succeed in almost any soil, but the be.st is a good, 

 turfy loam, taken from an old pasture plowed as early 

 as possible in spring after the grass begins to grow 

 nicely. In the preparation of this soil, the pasture 

 should be plowed about 4 inches deep and the earth 

 heaped up immediately after plowing. When heaping, 

 a layer of soil should first be made, then a layer of 

 manure, and so on until the heap is completed, the top 

 rounded off a little so as to throw off the surplus water 

 of heavy rains. One load of good cow manure to six of 

 soil would be about the right proportion. 



If the plant is grown in beds, eight inches of soil will 

 be sufficient, and the beds should rise slightly from the 

 sides to allow for settling. The rough parts should be 

 raked off, and a board laid on the soil and tramped upon 

 until the soil is firmed evenly. l;.-.k.. it :i,L;aiii t.. r..uKhen 

 tlie surface, mark outrows Ii-hltiIiw i^.:- ;. i'..i.i ;.j.;iil. with 

 cross rows at the same distan..-. s..\v tli.' ^,.,.,1- j,, the 

 corners of the square thus mail.-, ...v. r v. rv lii,'liilv, and 

 when the sowing is completed, give a light watering 

 with a fine rose watering-pot to settle the soil around 

 the seeds. After the plants are up and growing and 

 have made their second leaves, thin out to one plant, 



If. Oar 



soil 



•lid be taken at this 

 referable to leave the 

 ion as the plants are 

 1 tie them loosely to 



large en...i;jli. -t,.!,.- tl,,.|, 

 prevent th.-iii fn.in lallin; 



If the seed is sown in .July for a November crop, the 

 ventilators must be kept open day and night so as to 

 admit all the air possible, in order to keep the plants 

 stocky and short -jointed. Temporary shading in the 

 middle of the davwlieii the sun is liot is very necessary. 



After till- YV.mU b.-iu to show the flower heads, all 

 the side sli....ts sli,.iil,| l,e removed from around the 

 heads down t.. Ih.^ st.ni. Leave three or four of the 

 strong bott.jiii side shouts to come on for a second 

 crop, and so on as the crop matures. Always have 

 another crop coming on to take the place of the one that 

 was cut. By keeping the plants neatly staked and tied 

 there should be a continuous crop from November to 

 May. When the plants have reached a good size, 

 watering is of the utmost importance and should be done 

 in the mornings and only on bright days, so that the 



MIGNONETTE 



II t Mignonettes in pots requires much 

 1 !_ c aieful w itering, staking and tiain 

 n t til. ship, u.iuir. d \11 this takes 



.liethll.ll 1 1 I 



a little hole 1 I I 



in 2 or J set 1 L I 



to settle the s il ai II I \ I 1 I 



up thin out to one \\ | I I t 



one. Keep all the i 1 II [I 



to prevent them fr i I I I lit 



to let the plants get dr\ at this time If the 5 recen e a 



check at this or anj time for want of water Ihey get 



hard and will never make good pl mts afterwards 



1401. Mignonette— Allen's Defiance. 



hen the plants have filled the pots M-ith roots shift to 



pot shift t 

 age must 1 

 bricks wil 



