MED 



MEL 



tomads [Melastomacere].' Liim., 10- 

 Dccandria l-Monoyynia.) 



Stove evergreen shrubs with rosy flowers. 

 Cuttings of stumpy side shoots root the safest, 

 though cuttings of the young shoots root freely 

 when damping is avoided ; in sand, with a 

 little peat, under a bell-glass, and in a bottom- 

 heat; peat and loam, fibry and sandy. Win- 

 ter temp., 48 to 55 ; summer, 60 to 85. 



M, erythrophy'lla (red - leaved) . 2. August. 



Khooseea. 1837. 

 spccio'sa (showy). 4. July. Java. J845. 



MEDLAE. (Mc'spihts germa'nica}. 



Varieties. Blake's Large ; Dutch, 

 largest fruit; Nottingham, small, but 

 best flavoured ; Stoneless, inferior, but 

 keeps longer than others. 



Propagation by Seed. This is a 

 tedious mode, the seed usually lying 

 two years before it germinates. Sow 

 immediately the fruit containing the 

 seed decays, in common light soil. 

 Water the seedlings frequently in dry 

 weather ; thin them to two feet apart ; 

 and when four or five years old they 

 will be fit for final planting. 



By Layers. This may be done in 

 February and March, making use of 

 shoots of the previous year. They will 

 have rooted by the autumn. 



Grafting and Budding may be done 

 on the White Thorn, but the Pear is a 

 better stock for the medlar. 



Soil. A well-drained, but retentive 

 loam suits it best. 



Planting, Pruning, &c. See the 

 directions given for the Pear. 



Storing. The fruit ought not to be 

 gathered until November, for if the ga- 

 thering is made before the fruit is fully 

 matured, it shrivels without ripening 

 in its decay. Spread them singly upon 

 sand, the calyx, or open side down- 

 wards, and dipping the stalk end in a 

 strong brine of common salt and water, 

 which is said to check the occurrence 

 of mouldiness. 



MEDUSA'S-HEAD. Eitpho'rlia ca'pttt- 

 medu'sa. 



MEGACLI'NIUM. (From mcgas, large, 

 dud kline> a bed ; referring to the axis, 

 or rachis, on which the flowers are 

 borne. Nat. ord., Orchids [Qrchi- 

 daceaj]. Linn., '20-Gynandria l-Mo- 

 nandria. Allied to Cirrhopetalum.) 



StoVe orchids from Sierra Leone. Division of 

 the plant iii spring { shallow baskets in sphag- 



1 nui, rotten wood, charcoal, and fibry peat. 



Winter temp., 60 ; summer, 60 to 90. 

 j M.falca'tum (sickle-shaped). I. Yellow, red. 



March. 1824. 

 j ma' jus (larger). Yellow, red. March. 



1833. 



I ma'ximum (largest) . 1. Yellow, green; 1836. 

 j veluti'num (velvety). Purple, yellow. 1845. 



MELALEU'CA. (From melas, black, 



and leiikos, white ; referring to the 



I colours of the old and young bark. 



j Nat. ord., Myrtleblooms [Myrtacege]. 



j Linn., IS-Polyadclphia %-Polyandria.) 



Evergreen shrubs from New Holland, except 



! where otherwise mentioned. Cuttings of the 



; shoots in May, as they are getting firm at their 



i baseband not more than three inches in length, 



j in sand, under a bell-glass ; peat and loam, 



most of the latter, with a fair portion of sand, 



and nodules of charcoal. Winter temp., 38 



to 45. Many are about as hardy as a myrtle, 



and will stand against a conservative wall, with 



a little protection, 



STOVE EVERGREENS. 



M. Leucade'ndron (White Cajeput Tree). 15. 

 White. East Indies. 1796. 



mi' nor (smaller Cajeput}. White. East 



Indies. 1800. 

 GREENHOUSE EVERGREENS. 



M. acero'sa (sharp-pointed). Purple. June. 



c/tarfe/Ho'nea(beautiful-stamened). Purple, 



rose. June. 



calyci'na (Zrge-calyxed). 3. Purple. July. 



North America. 1803. 



decussa'ta (decussate -leaved] . 4. Lilac. 



August. 1803. 



de'nsa (thickly-teawed). 2. Purple. 1803. 



rf('osm/o7ia(Diosma-leaved). 4. Reddish. 



June. 1/94. 



dumo'sa (bushy). 2. 



erube'scens (blushing stamened'). Yellow. 



June. 



fu'tgcm (splendid). 6. Scarlet. August. 



1803. 



genistifo'lia (Broom-leaved). 4. Red. 1793. 



gra'ndis (grand). 4. 



Huge'lii (Hugel's). 1832. 



/lypericifo'lia (St. John's- Wort-leaved). 3. 



Scarlet. July. 1/92. 



inca'na (hoary). 3. Yellow. July. 1817- 



juniperoi'deh (Juniper-like). 3. Striped. 



June. 1830. 



lanccola'ta (spear-head-/euc/). 4. July* 



1817. 



paludo'sa (marsh). 6. Red. August. 1803. 



pulche'lla (neat). 2. Purple. July. 1303. 



ra'dula (file-like). Pink. May. 



sca'bra (rough-/euerf) . 3. Purple. May. 



1803. 



seria'ta (row-ranged). Rose. June. 



spino'sa (spiny). Yellow. June. 



stjua'inea (sc&ly-cali/xed) . 4. Lilac. June. 



1805. 



-cnlyxed}. 



squarro'sa (spreading). 2. White. 1794' 



stria' ta (channeled - leaved). 4. Purple. 



June. 1803. 



etyphelai'de* (Styphelia-fctftY'd). 4. White. 



June. 1793. 



