Mignonette as a Tree 



Buy a pot of ordinary mignonette. This 

 pot will probably contain a tuft composed of 

 many plants produced from seeds. Pull up 

 all but one; and, as the mignonette is one 

 of the most rustic of plants, which may be 

 treated without any delicacy, the single plant 

 that is left in the middle of the pot may be 

 vigorously trimmed, leaving only one shoot. 

 This shoot you must attach to a slender stick 

 of white osier. The extremity of this shoot 

 will put forth a bunch of flower-buds, that 

 must be cut off entirely, leaving not a single 

 bud. The stalk, in consequence of this treat- 

 ment, will put out a multitude of young 

 shoots that must be allowed to develop freely 

 until they are about three inches and a half 

 long. Then select of these four, six or eight, 

 according to the strength of the plant, with 

 equal spaces between them. Now, with a 

 slender rod of white osier, or better, with a 

 piece of whalebone, make a hoop and attach 

 your shoots to it, supported at the proper 

 height. When they have grown two or three 



inches longer, and are going to bloom, sup- 



167 



