ENCYCLOPHDIA OF GARDENING. 
SPEOIES OULTIVATED: M. major, brown, summer, 4 to 6 ft., 5. Africa. 
Melissa (Common Balm), — Ord. Labiatw. Hardy herbaceous 
perennials. Aromatic foliage. Leaves, egg-shaped, dark green, or 
variegated with yellow; fragrant. 
CULTURE: Soil, ordinary light. Position, warm sunny beds or 
borders. Plant, Oct. or March in groups or 12in. apart in rows. 
Gather stems when flowers open for drying for winter use. Cut stems 
off close to ground after dowerrue, Propagate by seeds sown in. 
ee outdoors in March; division of roots in Oct. or March. 
CIES OULTIVATED: M. officinalis (Balm), white or yellow, summer, 3 ft., 
Europe (Britain); officinalis variegata, leaves golden. 
Melittis (Bastard Balm).—Ord. Labiate. Hardy perennial. 
CULTURE: Soil, ordinary rich. Position, partially shaded beds or 
borders. Plant, Oct., Nov., March, or April. Propagate by division 
of roots directly after flowering. 
SPECIES OULTIVATED: M. melissophyllum, creamy white and pink, May, 
18 in., Europe (Britain). 
Melocactus (Melon Cactus; Melon Thistle; Turk’s Cap Cactus; 
Pope’s Head).—Ord. Cactaceez. Greenhouse succulent perennials. 
First introduced 1788. Stems globular, ribbed, spiny, surmounted by 
a cylindrical cap. 
CULTURE: Cotipost, two parts fibrous sandy loam, one part brick 
rubble, old mortar & sand. Position, well-drained pots in sunny 
greenhouse or window. Repot every three or four years in March. 
Water once a month, Sept. or April, once a week afterwards. Temp., 
Sept. to March 50 to 55°; March to Sept. 65° to 75°. Propagate by 
seeds sown fin. deep in well-drained pans of sandy soil in temp. 75° 
in March, keeping soil moderately moist; cuttings of stems inserted in 
small pots of sandy soil kept barely moist in summer; grafting on com- 
mon kinds in April. 
SPECIES CULTIVATED: M. communis (Turk’s Head or Melon Cactus), rosy red, 
summer, 12 to 18 in., W. Indies. 
Melon (Cucumis melo).—See Cucumis. 
Melon-cactus (Melocactus communis).—See Melocactus. 
Melton Thistle (Melocactus communis).—See Melocactus. 
Meniscium. — Ord. Filices. Stove evergreen rhizomatous 
ferns. First introduced 1793. Fronds entire or once divided. 
CULTURE: Composf, equal parts loam, leaf-mould, peat & sand. 
Position, well-drained pots or ledges of rockery in shady part of stove. 
Pot or plant, Feb. or March. Water freely, April to Sept., moderately 
afterwards. Temp., March to Sept. 65° to 75°; Sept. to March 55° 
to 65°, Propagate by spores sown on surface of pans of fine sandy 
eat in temp. 75° to 80° any time; division of plants at potting time. 
SPECIES LTIVATED: M. reticulatum, and its variety macrophyllum, W. 
Indies; serratum, West Indies; simplex, Tropical Asia. 
Menispermum (Moon Seed; Moon Creeper).—Ord. Menisper- 
maces. Hardy deciduous flowering climber. First introduced 1691. 
CULTURE: Soil, ordinary rich. Position, moist shady borders with 
shoots twined up walls, arbours, pergolas, or trellises. Plant, Oct. or 
March. Prune away weak or unhealthy shoots, Nov. to Feb. Propa- 
gate by cuttings of young shoots inserted in sandy soil in shady posi- 
tion outdoors, or under hand-light in spring; division of roots, Oct. 
March. 
+0 SEOLES OULTIVATED: M. canadense, yellow, summer, 10 to 15 ft., N. America. 
Mentha (Mint; Pennyroyal). — Ord. Labiate. Hardy peren- 
nials. Aromatic foliage. 
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