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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t July 27, 1S76. 



or four small vials are inserted in the earth, which vials should 

 be filled with water and cut flowers inserted at the time they 

 are wanted for decoration. This has a very pretty effect, and 

 the Ferns last much longer than in the ordinary way of cut- 

 ting the fronds. — John Feisby. 



MIGNONETTE. 



Desekvedly popular is this sweet and simple flower, not 

 only in this but in other civilised countries. For this uni- 

 versally admired plant we are indebted to Egypt, but it has 

 long been perfectly at home with us, growing almost every- 

 where and ripening its seeds perfectly. I say it grows almost 

 everywhere, for there are some singular exceptions — some 

 gardens wherein this plant refuses to thrive, but they are for- 

 tunately not numerous. I was once engaged in a garden in 

 Lancashire where it was next to impossible to make two such 

 common plants as Mignonette and the common Laurel grow ; 

 and I have known in a few other places how difficult it has 

 been to grow Mignonette satisfactorily in the open garden, and 

 not infrequently have I read records of failures and appli- 

 cations for aid under such circumstances in the columns of 

 the Journal. It is not easy to account for such a free-growing 

 plant as the Mignonette refusing to grow even when the site, 

 soil, and surrounding circumstances are in some degree fami- 

 liar, much more is it impossible to divine the cause of failure 

 in gardens of which one knows nothing. If I cannot explain 

 the cause of failures which some have to endure, or point out 

 any satisfactory remedy, I can at least offer as some con- 

 solation that those who fail fail in good company, and that 

 their failures do not in all probability arise from either igno- 

 rance or neglect of those having the charge of the gardens 

 wherein this plant refuses to flourish. 



It is not a pleasant theme to report failures in the culti- 

 vation of any plant, and it is especially delicate, and in fact 

 almost dangerous, to identify the names of places and of cul- 

 tivators where and under whose care a given plant cannot be 

 satisfactorily cultivated lest it should be construed as reflect- 

 ing on the skill of a particular cultivator. Especially is that 

 the case when reference is made to those of rather light calibre. 

 I once made the mistake of referring to the practice in a gar- 

 den which was fairly good, and giving the gardener rather 

 more credit than he was in strict justice entitled to, but be- 

 cause I did not say he grew many things better than every- 

 body else I received a severe epistolary eastigation, which I 

 have carefully preserved as a singular admission of human 

 frailty. But, on the other hand, there are those standing so 

 high in their calling, whose skill is so generally admitted, and 

 whose practice has long been so eminently successful, that 

 there is not the remotest fear that the record of a failure can 

 be regarded as more than what it really is — the simple 

 chronicling of a singular fact, and to think of it in any way 

 as reflecting on personal skill is a palpable absurdity. I do 

 not hesitate to state, therefore, that in one of the finest and 

 best-managed gardens of Britain — a garden wherein I have 

 seen uniformly high practice, and of which the manager's 

 name is a " tower of strength," Mignonette refuses to grow. 

 That garden is at Drumlanrig. In that garden I saw Pines 

 grown as I never saw them before, Grapes in perfection, flowers 

 from aristocratic Orchids' to the commoner hardy perennials, 

 and even annuals of almost all kinds, and all grown ex- 

 cellently well, but no Mignonette ; therefore I have remarked 

 those who fail fail in good company, and are probably the 

 victims of circumstances incidental to their locality, fixed in 

 character and unalterable. Probably extreme wet has much 

 to do with Mignonette failures, for in one garden in a very 

 wet Jocality the only place where it flourished at all satis- 

 factorily was in the chinks of a wall. I allude to this now 

 because of some recent inquiries on Mignonette failures, and 

 also because this is the period for preparing for a supply of 

 flowering plants in the winter months. 



Mignonette is welcome at any time, but especially in the 

 dull months of the year its delicately-perfumed spikes are 

 coveted and appreciated. As in garden so also it is in pot 

 culture — with some Mignonette grows as freely as do Mustard 

 and Cress, while others have no small trouble in producing 

 robust and healthy plants. But when grown in pots success 

 depends on correct management, and failures are mostly trace- 

 able to neglect, or a want of skill or means to apply it. 



Mignonette while susceptible of injury by excessive moisture 

 in its early Btages is also liable to receive injury by extreme 

 drought. In the summer months especially more failures 



arise from the latter than the former mishap. It is not easy 

 to grow Mignonette in pots unless they are plunged in ashes 

 or some other suitable medium. The spongioles are extremely 

 delicate and fine, and shrivel by extreme drought or decay from 

 excessive wet. In both cases the results are the same, and the 

 end failure. If Mignonette is, by fear of damping, so far de- 

 prived of water that the foliage turns yellow and the stems 

 become hard, vigorous spikes cannot be produced. The plants 

 must be kept growing freely, and to this end copious supplies 

 of water must be given in dry weather. Plunging the pots, 

 however, conserves moisture, and the plants invariably grow 

 more freely and satisfactorily when the pots are plunged than 

 when they are exposed to the drying influences of the air and 

 extreme changes of temperature. Mignonette, too, rejoices in 

 a good larder. The soil must be rich and firm, so that the 

 food is not only good, but a large quantity is compressed into 

 a small space. 



Clean pots, well drained and firmly filled, or nearly filled, 

 with sound rich soil, and seed sown in them very thinly at 

 the present time, the pots being plunged in ashes and so 

 placed that lights can be placed over them in very wet weather, 

 will, with proper attention to watering, yield a fine crop of 

 Mignonette in the early winter months ; and the plants, if kept 

 in a genial temperature and a lighthouse, will continue flower- 

 ing all through the winter. The plants must be thinned very 

 early (that is of great importance), leaving about five in a 

 5-inch pot. In these pots the plants will flower perfectly, but 

 if large bushe3 are required for cutting from throughout the 

 winter the plants must be shifted into larger pots before the 

 seed pots become closely matted with roots ; in fact, potting 

 must be done when the roots are in full activity, and when the 

 plants are young and luxuriant. When in this state it is sur- 

 prising, the weather being dry, how much water Mignonette 

 will not only endure but rejoice in. It is when the plants are 

 quite young, and before the pots are occupied with roots, that 

 large supplies of water are fatal ; but the safety valve against 

 this is in plunging the pots, rendering frequent and heavy 

 waterings unnecessary, and protecting the plants against 

 drenching showers. 



It ia important in growing Mignonette that a pit or frame be 

 entirely devoted to the plants, so that the proper treatment can 

 be given them. It is rarely that succ9ss follows when the 

 plants are mixed with other plants. 



The present is also a very good time to sow seed for growing 

 single specimens, thinning the seedlings early to the best plant 

 in each pot, and potting-on as required, before the pots are 

 crowded with roots until the plants are finally transferred to 

 their flowering pots. The great object should be to keep the 

 plants growing freely, theshoots soft and stout as Watercresses, 

 and the foliage as large and green as Radishes, then will fine 

 spikes follow in due time. 



There are few places where Mignonette in winter is as 

 plentiful as is desirable. Many attempt to grow it and many 

 fail, while others succeed without apparent difficulty. A few 

 common causes of failures are — soil too poor and too light ; 

 the seed sown too thickly and the plants not timely thinned ; 

 too much water in the earliest stages of growth, and too little 

 when the plants are larger ; not plunging the pots ; permitting 

 them to be thoroughly drenched with rain, and then when too 

 late placing them under glass and keeping the plants too close 

 and dark. They cannot have too much light and air, and 

 should only have the protection of glass when unfavourable 

 weather — rain or frost — i3 threatening. Soot water i3 bene- 

 ficial when the pots are filled with roots and larger pots 

 cannot ba given. 



There are different varieties, but any of them if the plants 

 be well grown will give satisfaction. The " giant " becomes a 

 dwarf in the hands of a bad grower, while the " old sort "_ be- 

 comes refreshingly robust when the right treatment is given 

 throughout. In a word, more depends on culture than on the 

 selection of any so-called variety. — W. 



[We knew a soil that did not produce Mignonette satisfac- 

 torily until some bricklayers' limy rubbish was added. — Eds.1 



CATERPILLARS ON GOOSEBERRY BUSHES. 



Theke are various remedies for this destructive insect. A 

 bunch of Gorse, lime, powdered hellebore I think, a sprig of 

 Elder, picking by hand, and there may be sundry others 

 equally efficacious. Would any of your readers who may wear 

 a tolerably thick boot like .to try the following very simple 

 process ? Give the under side of the bough a sharp and sudden 



