196 DESCRIPTION OF THE MUSEUM. 



tile seeds are obtained, which, sown at the pro- 

 per period, conform to our seasons. The first 

 attempt does not always succeed, but by con- 

 tinuing the prac tice the end is ultimately attained. 

 Thus the marvel of Peru, mirabilis, now so com- 

 mon in our gardens, where it diffuses its odour 

 at the setting of the sun, was first placed in the 

 hot-house by M.Lemonnier, who received it from 

 Mexico in 1760 ; the next generation it flourished 

 in the orangery ; and since that time it has passed 

 the winter in the garden. The superb dahlias of 

 Mexico, the roo ts of which were sent to the King's 

 Garden by M. Cavanilles in 1802, were placed at 

 the end of the winter in a hot-house of the tem- 

 perature of 70% where they advanced slowly, and 

 bloomed at the end of autumn ; they have since 

 been multiplied from the seed, and we now pos- 

 sess beautiful varieties that require no particular 

 attention : M. Thouin announced this result, but 

 did not promise that it would be so speedy (1). 

 The melaleucas and metrosideroses raised from 

 the seed, bloom later also than those brought 

 from New Holland. 



The plants are lodged in the green-house in 

 October, and carried out at the latter end of 

 April or the beginning of May : during the sum- 



(1) Sec Memoir on the Dahlias in the Annals of the Museum, vol. m. 



p. 420. 



