120 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



larly striped and blotched 

 with white and pale green ; 

 fruit not edible. Isle of 

 St. Thomas, Western Tro- 

 pical Africa. 

 M. zebrina — a compara- 

 tively dwarf and slender- 

 stemmed species, with 

 oblong: dark green leaves, 

 irregularly striped and 

 blotched with bronzy- 

 purple. East Indies. 



mental, but its fruits are 

 not edible. From its stems 

 comes the fibre called 

 Manilla Hemp, used in 

 sbawl-making,for cordage, 

 and even woven into false 

 tresses for the adornment 

 of the ladies. Philippine 

 Islands. 



M. Uranoscopus— similar in 

 habit to M. ensete, but 

 bearing erect panicles of 

 flowers and 

 fruits. Queens- 

 land. 



M. vittata — a tall 

 plant with the 

 habit of M. en- 

 sete, the leaves 

 being dark 

 green, irregu- 



Myristica. 



— B eautiful 

 stove shrubs, 

 although not 

 showy, and ex- 

 ceedingly in- 

 teresting as 

 yielding the 

 aromatic spices 

 known as Nut- 

 me g s and 

 Mace. The 

 true or best 

 Nutmegs are the 

 produce of M. 

 moschata (some- 

 times called 31. 

 officinalis), and 

 are principally 

 grown in Ma- 

 lacca and Pe- 

 nang, while in- 

 ferior Nutmegs 

 are the produce 

 of such species " 

 as M.fatua, sebi- 

 fera, acuminata, 

 &c. Pot in two 

 parts of loam and one of 

 sand added. They enjoy i 

 atmosphere. 



31. moschata is a tree from twenty to thirty feet 

 high, with large, oblong, dark green, aromatic leaves, 

 and in a young state forms a handsome bush. The 

 fruit is about the size of a green "Walnut ; when ripe 

 it bursts open, and discovers the seed, enclosed in a 

 fleshy arillus of a beautiful crimson colour. This is the 

 Mace of commerce, which, after being dried in the sun, 

 changes to golden-yellow. The seed is the Nutmeg. 

 This plant is largely cultivated in the Bunda Islands, 

 and usually produces three crops in twelve months. 



MONSTERA DELICIOSA. 



peat, with some sharp 

 strons,- heat and moist 



Napoleona. — A small family, with respect to 



which much diversit) T of opinion prevails amongst 

 botanists. By some they are made into a separate 

 order under the name of Napoleonca ; by others they 

 are placed in Belvisiacece, but popularly they are 

 known as Mock Passion Flowers. They are hand- 

 some shrubs, enjoying a strong moist heat. Pot 

 in two parts of loam, one of peat, and one of sharp 



sand; drain well 

 and water 

 freely. Stove. 



X. imperialis. 

 — This is a me- 

 dium - sized 

 bush, with alter- 

 nate dark green 

 leaves, which 

 are oblong, and 

 leathery in tex- 

 ture ; flowers 

 axillary, sessile, 

 two or three 

 together, some- 

 what resem- 

 bling a Passion 

 Flower in shape 

 — of a creamy 

 buff - crimson 

 colour. Summer 

 months. West 

 Africa. 



Nepenthes. 



— This genus 

 constitutes the 

 order Kepentha- 

 ce<e ; they are 

 climbing plants 

 with alternate 

 leaves, having 

 the apex sud- 

 denly con- 

 tracted into a 



long tendril, which terminates in a receptacle in 

 the form of a jug or pitcher, that is furnished 

 with a lid ; this, when the pitcher is young, is her- 

 metically sealed, but when mature opens more or 

 less wide. This appendage, which is often beauti- 

 fully coloured, and which is the chief ornament of 

 the plants, has caused them to be popularly known 

 as Pitcher Plants, of which many fallacious stories 

 have been written. There are numerous species, 

 most of them natives of the Indian Archipelago, 

 some of which produce enormous jugs, besides which, 

 many new varieties have been obtained by cross- 

 breeding both in English and American gardens. 



