MIGNONETTE TEESS, 



119 



for it should be sandy for the perfume to be in full per- 

 fection. 



To get pots of mignonette in flower in the winter 

 sow seed in the open gi^ound, or in pots placed where 

 they will have plenty of air and light, in July. In 

 September shift the young plants into the pots in 

 which they are to flower. One plant to a pot, if flne, or 

 three, if rather small, will be quite enough, and in 

 moving them care should be taken not to disturb the 

 earth from the roots^ If the pots fill with root, re -potting 

 into larger pots will make the plants grow fine. Before 

 there is a chance of cold nights take the pots into the 

 house, and keep them in a room without a fire until 

 they have flower buds, and then they may be placed in 

 a sitting-room w^here there is a fire, and with good 

 watering every day, and preventing their seeding, they 

 will keep in flower for months. Seedlings from seed 

 sown a month later may be brought forward to succeed 

 these, only keeping them safe from frost until they are 

 brought fonvard to flower. By a similar process pots in 

 bloom may be kept for the house all the year round. 



The mignonette, as I mentioned before, is a perennial 

 in its own country, and a little management in culture 

 will, without difficulty, make a tree of it here. Sow 

 seed the end of April in a compost of rich mellow loam, 

 mixed \»"iih one-third of thoroughly rotted cow-manure, 

 a little sand, and a little lime rubbish. Have as many 

 small pots as you wish to have plants, place at the 

 bottom of each some crocks, a little of the lime, and 

 fill the pots with the compost ; place three seeds in the 

 centre of each, just cover them with earth, press them 

 down tight, and water them. Place the pots in a window, 

 or in a cool greenhouse, and do not force them, but let 

 them have plenty of air. Water every morning with a 

 fine rose, and when the days are fine enough put them 

 out of doors for a few hours. As the little plants grow 

 strong, pull up all but the finest, put a stick a foot long 

 or more against it, pressed down to the bottom of the 

 pot for steadiness, and train the plant to it, as it grows 

 tall, with slight ties of worsted. Stop all side shoots at 



