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PBAGTICAL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS mimulus 



August or beginning of September in 

 light fine soil and treated in a similar 

 manner ; but this means occupying space 

 under glass during the winter months. 

 Many kinds sow themselves and give a 

 crop of seedlings every year when grown 

 in cold frames or greenhouses. The 

 creeping underground stems being per- 

 ennial may also be divided in early 

 spring, and if placed in gentle heat and 

 kept moist will soon make fine plants. 

 Cuttings may also be inserted in early 

 spring in a fine light soil and a warm 

 moist atmosphere. The following are a 

 few of the best garden species : — 



M. cardinalis [Diplacus oardinalis). 

 A pretty species 1-3 ft. high, native of 

 the W. United States. Leaves stem- 

 clasping ovate with coarsely toothed 

 margins. Flowers from June to August, 

 large, red, axillary, with a tube about 1-i 

 in. long. The stigma has 2 iiritable lobes 

 which close together at the slightest touch. 

 There are several varieties of this species, 

 among which may be mentioned atro- 

 sangidneus, deep blood-red ; aurcmtiacus, 

 orange-red; Hudsoni, clear crimson-red, 

 with a yellow blotch in the throat striped 

 with purple. 



Culture d'c. as above. Increased by 

 seeds, cuttings, or division. 



M. cupreus. — A beautiful dwarf species 

 8-12 in. high, native of the Chilian Andes. 

 Leaves opposite, usually tinted with 

 brownish-red ; the lower ones oval lance- 

 shaped, toothed ; the upper ones sessile. 

 Flowers in summer in the axils of the 

 upper leaves, almost regular, copper- 

 coloured, purple-brown, or crimson, the 

 velvet tliroat being yellow and spotted 

 with crimson-purple. 



This species has been considerably 

 altered by cultivation and has developed 

 innumerable forms. This result seems to 

 have been achieved principally by crossing 

 with M. variegatus, thus forming a chain 

 of forms between M. luteus proper and 

 M. cuprevs. These hybrids are known to 

 gardeners under a variety of names such 

 as tigrinus, joarddnus, tigridioides, qiiin- 

 quevulneniiS, ruhinus, speciosiis, and 

 maculosus, all meaning pretty much the 

 same thing. Besides the numerous single- 

 flowered variations there is also a double- 

 tlowered or ' hose-in-hose ' variety, in 

 which the calyx assumes a similar appear- 

 ance to the corolla. When the proper 

 corolla withers, the metamorphosed calyx 



retains its freshness and colour for some 

 days longer, and in this way the ' hose-in- 

 hose ' varieties bloom for a longer period 

 than the single-flowered ones. There is 

 a new form called Burneti obtained by 

 crossing M. cupreus with M. hiteus. It 

 comes near the latter and seems to be 

 almost hardy. 



Culture amd Propagation. — AU these 

 hybrid Monkey Flowers flourish in a light 

 rich soil containing plenty of leaf- soil and 

 a fair quantity of sand, and are quite as 

 happy in sunshine as in shadow, provided 

 the latter is not too dense. Sometimes 

 violent winds play havoc with the flowers, 

 and if possible they should be sheltered on 

 such occasions if in exposed situations. 



They are all increased by seeds, cut- 

 tings or division, and require the protec- 

 tion of a greenhouse or cold frame in 

 winter. 



M. Lewisi {M. roseus). — A rare and 

 pretty Califomian species about 1 ft. high 

 with stem-clasping oblong or rarely ovate 

 acute leaves, somewhat toothed and many- 

 nerved. Flowers late in sununer, rosy, 

 with spreading corolla lobes. 



Culture etc. as above. Increased by 

 seeds and division in early spring. 



M. luteus (M.giittatus ; M.punctatus). 

 Common Monkey Flower. — A bright 

 green softly downy Californian species, 

 vnth slightly knotted branching stems 

 9-12 in. high. Leaves opposite, ovate, or 

 oblong coarsely toothed. Flowers in sum- 

 mer, yellow, about li in. long, and having 

 2 dark crimson and purple marks in the 

 throat of the corolla. The variety Neu- 

 herti is a strain with double flowers ; and 

 nohilis is a dwarf form remarkable for 

 having ' hose-in-hose ' flowers, that is one 

 corolla inserted in the other like some of 

 the Polyanthuses. 



Under this species may be placed the 

 plant known as M. variegatus, a native 

 of Chili with large open flowers, having a 

 white or yellow ground irregularly blotched 

 with rich crimson, maroon, or purple. 

 The leaves are also more or less constantly 

 marked with brown. M. hit ens and 

 M. variegatus are best treated as 

 annuals. 



Culture d-c. as above. 



M. moschatus (Music). — A well-known 

 North American hardy perennial with 

 tufts of trailing wooUy stems having 

 stallted ovate lance-shaped slightly toothed 

 softly woolly leaves, rounded at the base 



