MILLA 



MfLLA ( J. Milla was head gardener at the Court of 

 Madrid). Liliacece. Bentham & Hooker restrict the 

 genus Milla (as Cavanilles, its author, intended) to one 

 species, At. biflora. From Brodisea the genus differs in 

 the fact that the pedicels are not jointed and the peri- 

 ! anth segments are always 3-nerved. Milla and Brodisea 

 are native to the northern half of the western hemi- 

 > sphere. In South America is the genus Triteleia, which 

 is by some referred to Milla, by others to Brodisea, and 

 by still others kept distinct. There is one Triteleia { T. 

 unifiora) in common cultivation. In his monograph 

 (Journ Linn. Soc. 11, p. 378), Baker refers the Trite- 

 leias to Milla, and this disposition is followed by Index 

 Kewensis, but in a later account (G.C. III. 20, p. 459) 

 he refers them to Brodisea. Watson (Proc. Amer. Acad. 

 Arts. & Sci. 9, p. 240) restricts Milla to one species. 

 The North American plants which have been referred 

 to Triteleia are perhaps best treated as Brodiseas, and 

 they are so considered in the account of that genus in 

 Vol. I of this work. The South American Triteleias 

 are described under that genus in Vol. IV. 



Milla has a salverform perianth, with 3-nerved seg- 

 ments which are separate nearly to the base, 6 nearly 

 sessile stamens in one row, sessile, oblong-obovate 

 capsule. M. bifldra, Cav., has a scape 6-18 in. high 

 from a small coated bulb, bearing 1-5 (usually 2) 

 star-like, waxy white, fragrant fls. 2-2% in. across, 

 with oblong-lanceolate segments: Ivs. rough, 

 nearly terete. S. Ariz, and New Mex. to central 

 Mex. B.R. 18:1555. F.S. 14:1459. Gn. 24, p. 155. 



Milla biflora is one of the best of the small 

 bulbs. It known as Mexican Star, Mexican Star of 

 Bethlehem, Frost Flower, and Floating Star. 

 The fls. are of a charming waxy consistence, and 

 are borne on long stems. They are excellent for 

 cutting, and last several days. Planted in the bor- 

 der early in spring, they soon throw up their fls. and 

 Ivs. They should be allowed to remain until September 

 or October, when they may be taken up and stored for 

 the winter. Our gardeners know Milla mostly as a pot 

 bulb for flowering under glass late in winter or early in 

 spring. It blooms readily in the conditions given to 

 Freesias. Several bulbs should be placed in a pot, al- 

 though several stalks will spring from one bulb. 



L. H. B. 



MlLLEK, DUSTY. See Lychnis Coronaria. 



MILLETS are important agricultural grasses. The 

 true Millet or Broomcorn Millet of Europe is Panicum 

 milaceum. The common Millets of the United States, 

 the Foxtail Millets, are forms of Setaria Italica. Afri- 

 can Millet, also called Black, Chinese, Indian, and im- 

 properly Pearl Millet, is Sorghum vulgare. The name 

 African Millet is sometimes applied to Eleusine Cora- 

 cana. Barnyard or Japanese Millet is Panicum Crus- 

 galli. Pearl Millet is Pennisetum typhoideum. 



A. S. HITCHCOCK. 



MILLETTIA (named in honor of Dr. Millett, of Can- 

 ton, China). Legumindsce. About 40 species of Old 

 World tropical trees and large shrubs, usually climbers ; 

 differs from the Japanese and North American genus 

 Wistaria only in the hard, usually flat and thick pod 

 not opening so readily. Lvs. large, odd-pinnate; Ifts. 

 opposite, stipellate: fls. showy, in axillary racemes 

 often fascicled, simple or paniculate and terminal, 

 white, purple or reddish. 



A. Fls. purple. 



Caffra, Meissn. IRON-WOOD. A South African tree, 

 20-30 ft. high, with very hard, close-grained, brown 

 wood and dark, rough, rugulose bark. Lvs. on chan- 

 x neled petioles 6-8 in. long; Ifts. lanceolate-oblong, acute, 

 ' in 5-6 pairs, 2-2% in. long, 1 in. apart; slender stipules 

 2-3 lines long: panicle 6-8 in. long: fr. leathery, vel- 

 vety, used as a medicine by the Kaffirs. Int. by Rea- 

 soner Bros., 1891. 



AA. Fls. white. 



Jap6nica, Gray. A Japanese woody climber. Lvs. 

 light green, odd-pinnate; Ifts. narrowly ovate, 4-6 pairs, 

 1% in. long, 1 in. apart: racem'es simple, nodding, 5-8 

 in. long. Probably not hardy in the North. Procurable 

 of dealers in Japanese plants. S.Z. 1:43 ( Wistaria 

 Japonica ) . 



MILTONIA 



1015 



MILTONIA (named for Lord Fitzwilliam, Viscount 

 Milton, a patron of horticulture). Orchiddcew. This 

 group contains some of the most beautiful orchids in 

 cultivation. The pseudobulbs are closely clustered and 

 sheathed with long, graceful, dark green Ivs., forming 

 plants over 1 ft. in diameter, bearing numerous large 

 tts. They are herbs with short pseudobulbs, bearing 

 1-2 Ivs. at the summit and few or manv sheathing Ivs. 



10: 



1402. Miltonia vexillaria. 



at the base : the inflorescence arises from the base of 

 the pseudobulbs, and consists of a single-fld. peduncle 

 or of a loose raceme of long-pedicelled fls. : sepals sub- 

 equal, spreading, free or the lateral ones slightly united; 

 petals similar or a little wider; labellum not distinctly 

 clawed, large, expanded, not 3-lobed, but often bifid at 

 the apex: both the segments and the labellum are ex- 

 panded, forming a flat flower: column short. This ge- 

 nus contains nearly 20 species, mostly from Brazil. 

 They are closely related to Odontoglossum and On- 

 cidium, but may be distinguished by the characters 

 given above. M. Rcezlii, M. vexillaria, and some 

 closely related kinds were until recently known in gar- 

 dens as Odontoglossums. In the group containing the 

 "true" Miltonias, the pseudobulbs are separated from 

 each other on the rhizome, and bear 1-2 yellowish green 

 Ivs. at the summit and few sheathing Ivs. of the same 

 color at the base. The fls. of nearly all Miltonias re- 

 main on the plants in a fresh condition for a month or 

 more. HEINRICH HASSELBRING. 



The Colombian species of Miltonia, among which are 

 M. vexillaria and M. Rozzlii, grow best in a compost 

 of well-chopped, turfy fern root and very coarse river 

 sand or pulverized coal clinkers. Do not overpot. Fin- 

 ish with sphagnum, which should be kept growing. 

 These species should have a temperature of 58 to 70. 

 They do not like a close atmosphere, but a good and 

 constant circulation of air. Fumigate slightly once a 

 week or scatter strong tobacco dust on the wet, hot pipes 

 frequently to control thrips. After growth is finished, 

 these orchids should be carefully rested in a tempera- 

 ture of 55 to 60, but at no time should they become 

 very dry. 



All the Brazilian kinds enjoy plenty of diffuse, but not 

 direct, sunlight. They need much water while grow- 

 ing. After growth is complete, gradually withhold water 

 supply. The Brazilian kinds grow best in shallow per- 

 forated pans, with plenty of drainage, .ind potted in fern 

 root mixed with coarse leaf-mold and sharp sand. 



