JIIGXOXETTE 



MIUXOXETTIi 



101 H 



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

 ^'raiiee. No homo garden is compit^te Avitliout some 

 Mignonette. It needs a cool soil, only moUrratyly rii-li, 

 shade part o£ the day, and careful attention t<i i-vitting 

 the flower-stalks before the seeds are rii)o. It gruws 

 1-2 ft. high, and is treated as a half-hardy uiinual. If a 

 sowing be made in late April, followed by a seci.inl 

 sowing in early July, the season may be extended until 

 severe frosts. Those who wish to have luniie-grown 

 Mignonette in the window during winter may sow seeds 

 in pots late in sunnner. Few tlowers will prove us dis- 

 appointing if the treatment it needs is omitted. 



Years ago JMignouette was one of tiie few fashional)Ie 

 flowers. Every tiorist grew a little. With the rise of 

 florists' roses, carnations, violets and ehrysantbenmnts 

 the Mignonette lost some of its relative importance, but 

 within recent years a new era has opened for it. It is 

 now a highly specialized crop, being little grown by 

 general florists, but gritwn on a large scale by a few 

 specialists. 



For the botanical status of Mignonette, see Ikcaedn. 



C. E. IlrxN. 



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 planting the seed in a row alonir 

 the side of rose beds or benches. Now, however, certain 

 growers having made its cutting and seed a specialty. 

 the result has been tiie production of improved strains 

 finding such favor that the old, careless methods are 

 abandoned. As yet. well-grown plants in pots are not 

 offered to the public, luit the indications are tliat before 

 long they will take their place as favorite Cliristnias and 

 Easter plants, for which they are well fitted, since thi-y 

 are useful house plants in their keeping anil odoriferous 

 qualities. 



Mignonettes in beds or benches for winter-flowerim.' 

 will succeed in almost any soil, but the best 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 he plowed about 4 inches deep and the earth 

 heaped up immediately after ^ilowing. When heaping, 

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

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

 rounded off a little so as to throw ofY the surtdus 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 thi- 

 sides to allow for settling. The rough jiarts should be 

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

 until the soil is firmed evenly. Rake it again to nmghen 

 the surface, mark out rows lengthwise a foot apart, with 

 cross rows at the same distance. tSow the seeds in the 

 corners of the square thus made, cover very lightly, 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, 

 leaving the strongest one. Care should be taken at this 

 time not to over-water, as it is preferable to leave the 

 soil rather dry than wet. As soon as the plants are 

 large enough, stake them all and tie them loosely to 

 prevent them from falling out. 



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 davwhen the sun is hot is very necessary. 



After the plants begin to show the flower heads, all 

 the side shoots sliould be removed from around tlu^ 

 heads down to the stem. Leave three or four of the 

 strong bottom side shoots 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 tit 

 Mav. When the plants have reacdied a good size. 

 watering is of the utmost importance and should be done 

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



foliage may be dry bel'oi-e night ; for if the water l)(-s 

 on the foliaire for twenty-fuur hours the leaves will be- 

 <-.ome spotted and a fungous growth started, to the ruin 

 of the phmt. A night temperaturt^ of 45°, with a rise oi" 

 10° or 1.')° in the day, suits the idant very well. Migno- 

 nette \vill succeed in almost any kind of a glass struc- 

 ture, Imt, of course, the better the house the finer the 

 product. 



The cultivation of Mignonettes in pots requires much 

 attention, involving careful ^vatering, staking and train- 

 ing of the plants into the shape required. All this takes 

 time, but good specimen plants in pots of 8 inches, with 

 I.j-20 heads of fi<:iwers to a jdant, will repay the grower 

 for all the attention bestowed. The best method for this 

 kind of growing is to fill up 2-inch pots with finely sifted 

 soil from the compost heap described before, then add 

 one-third leaf-soil run through a sieve, with a little sand 

 to make it porous, and then, pressing the soil firm, make 

 a little hole with the fingiu* in the center of the pot, drop 

 in 2 or 3 seeds, cover lightly and water with a fine rose 

 to settle the soil around the seed. After tlu^ plants are 

 up thin out to one plant to a pot, leaving the strongest 

 one. Keep all the ])lants as near the glass as possible 

 to prevent them from !)ecoming drawn. Be careful not 

 to let the i)Iants get dry at this time. If they receive a 

 cheek at this or any time for want of water Ihey get 

 hard and will nex'er make good plants afterwards. 



1401. Mignonette— Allen's Defiance. 



When the plants have filled the pots with roots shift (» 

 4-inch pots, using a little rougher soil. Never allow the 

 plants to become pot-bound. Up to this time they will 

 not require stakes if kept near the glass with plenty of 

 ventilation and are carefully watered. When the young 

 roots begin to show through the soil at the sides of the 

 pot shift to S-inch pots, using good rough soil. Drain 

 age must be provided at the bottom of the pots — broken 

 bricks will answer the purpose. Cover this drainage 



