M E 



both for the Ufe of the Kitchen and 

 Medicine ; but the fecond Sort is 

 by fome greatly efteem'd for its 

 Heat, to make a fimple Water : 

 this, at prefent, is not very common 

 in the Gardens ; but has been found 

 growing wild in feveral Parts of 

 England. Tl\e third Sort is alio us'd 

 in Medicine; but is rarely cultiva- 

 ted in Gardens, being found in 

 great Plenty in feveral Places near 

 London. The fourth and fifth Sorts 

 are very common by the Sides of the 

 Ponds, and on moili Soils, in divers 

 [Parts of England \ and are rarely 

 cultivated in Gardens : thefe are 

 both ufed in Medicine ; but the 

 Markets are fupply'd with them from 

 the Fields. The feventh and eighth 

 Sorts' are preferv'd in Gardens, for 

 :he Beauty of their variegated I eaves ; 

 as are the ninth and tenth Sorts, for 

 :heir Oddnefsj the one having 

 :ud\d Leaves, and the Other being 

 /cry white ; but feldom produce 

 Flowers in England. 

 , All the Sorts of Mint are eafily 

 propagated by parting the Roots in 

 he Spring, or by planting Cuttings 

 I uring any of the Summer-months; 

 jut mould have a rnoift Soil ; and 

 Ifter planting, if the Seafon fhould 

 trove dry, they mu ft be often wa- 

 ?r'd, until they have taken Root ; 

 r ter wh.ch, they will require no 

 ; .rther Care but only to keep them 

 ear from Weeds : they mould be 

 anted in Beds about four Feet 

 side, allowing a Path two Feet 

 ide, to go between the Beds to 

 iter, weed, and cut the Plants, 

 tie Diftance they mould be fet is 

 out four or five Inches, or more, 

 icaufe they fpread very much at 

 eir Roots ; for which Reafon, the 

 ds mould not Hand longer than 

 ee Years before you plant freih ; 

 by that time the Roots will be 

 . ttcd io dofely^ as to roc and de- 



M E 



cay each other, if permitted to ftand 

 longer. There are fome People who 

 are very fond of Mint-fallad in Win- 

 ter and Spring : in order to obtain 

 which, they take up the Roots be- 

 fore Chrifmas, and plant them up- 

 on a moderate Kot-bed pretty dole, 

 covering them with fine Earth about 

 an Inch thick ; and cover the Bed 

 either with Mats, or Frames of 

 Glafs. In thefe Beds the Mint will 

 come up in a Month's time, and be 

 foon fit to cut for that Purpofe. 



When the Herb is cut for medi- 

 cinal Ufe, it mould be done in a 

 very dry Seafon, juft when it is in 

 Flower; for if it itand longer, it 

 will not be near fo handfome, nor 

 fo well-tafted ; and if it be cut when 

 it is wet, it will change black, and 

 be little uor:h: this fhould be hung 

 up to dry in a fhadv Place, where it 

 may remain until it be ufed. 



If the Soil be good in which thefe 

 Plants are to be fet, they will afTord 

 three Crops every Spring : but after 

 July they feldom prove good ; there- 

 fore what Shoots are produe'd after 

 that time, fhouid be permitted to 

 remain till Michaelmas, when you 

 mull cut them down clofe ; and after 

 having clear'd the Beds from Weeds, 

 you mould fpread a little fine rich. 

 Earth all over them, which will 

 greatly encourage the Roots againft 

 the fucceedinor Spring. 



MENTHA CATARIA. Vide 

 Cataria. 



MENTZELIA. 



The Characters are; 



// hath a rofe-Jhaped Flower, con- 

 fining cf federal Lca-ves, which are 

 placed in a circular Order, and reft 

 on the Fhwer-cup : which afterward 

 becomes a membranaceous tubulous 

 Fruit, containing many fmall Seeds. 



We know but one ' Species of thft 

 Plant at prefent j friz. 



MsnTzelia filus tsf fruftilus 

 L 1 i 2 afpsris. 



