MIGNONETTE 
expansion on its upper surface. The stamens vary from ten to forty; 
the carpels, two to six, their edges joined, open at the top, the opening 
bounded by stigmatic lobes. The disc is broad, dilated at the upper 
side of the flower into a perpendicular yellowish plate, secreting honey 
at the back. Seeds numerous, kidney-shaped. 
Higto Few of the species have any interest as garden plants. 
8 0ry ‘ Our native Reseda Lubeola, or Dyer’s Weld, was formerly 
extensively cultivated as a dye-weed, for it produced a beautiful yellow 
dye, and from its juice the artist’s colour known as Dutch Pink was 
obtained. R. alba, introduced from South Europe at the end of the 
sixteenth century, is occasionally seen in cultivation, and has established 
itself in waste places near our coasts after being turned out of gardens. 
R. odorata , the fragrant Mignonette, was introduced from Egypt less 
than a hundred and fifty years ago, but the country of its origin is quite 
unknown. It is probably the most popular of all garden plants, and the 
number of gardens in this country in which it is not grown must be an 
exceedingly small percentage of the whole. Its growth in the South 
of France for the purpose of supplying winter bouquets to Paris and 
other large cities has assumed vast proportions, and it is stated that, 
in the neighbourhood of Nice and Hyeres, a little more than tjvo 
acres of land sown with Mignonette will yield from £400 to £600 
per annum. 
Reseda alba (white) grows to a height of 2 feet, and 
has pinnate glaucous leaves, the leaflets lance-shaped. 
Flowers, with a five- or six-parted calyx, as many white petals each cut 
into three filaments, stamens twelve or fourteen, brownish; in dense 
spikes, May to September. A biennial. 
R. Luteola (yellowish). Weld, Dyer’s Weed. A striking plant 
with erect branching stems, 2 or 3 feet high, and narrow, lance-shaped 
undivided leavea The flowers are yellowish green, in long spike-like 
racemes. Flowers June to August. Annual or biennial. 
R. ODORATA (perfumed). Sweet Mignonette. Stems difluse, of 
varying height, clothed with bluntish, lance-shaped leaves, entire or 
three-lobed. Flowers in long, loose, terminal racemes; calyx, six-parted; 
petals creamy, finely cut into numerous divisiona Anthers red. June 
to October, or later. Annual or perennial. 
Under cultivation R. odorata has produced many 
Garden varieties. var j e ^ es ^ 0 £ w hieh we will mention some of the most 
desirable:— 
. | Garawga White 
