MESKMBRYANTHEMUM, Nat. Ord. Ficoidece. 
The Mesembryanthemums are pretty, half hardy annuals, with delicate, succulent, almost 
transparent leaves and branches. The two most popular varieties in America are those commonly 
known as Ice-plant and Dew-plant. Both are excellent for baskets, vases, 
pots, etc., the Ice-plant having thick, fleshy leaves and stems, covered with 
little shining globules, which it will take some investigation to convince 
the spectator are not "truly ice." The flowers are small, white, and un- 
important. The Dew-plant has a smooth, light green, pretty, dewy-looking 
leaf, a graceful slender, habit, and a very pretty pink flower. Both are 
drooping plants, and therefore, with their pretty foliage, peculiarly adapted 
to basket and vase work. The increased attention given to these gi-aceful 
decorations has made the Mesembryanthemums and other plants adapted 
to this work very popular. The culture of plants with pretty ornamental 
foliage that can be grown from the seed early in the spring so as to produce 
a good effect during the season, should be encouraged, as it places very large resources in the 
hands of the gardener at a mere trifling cost. 
MIGNONETTE, (Reseda,) Nat. Ord. Resedacece. 
We need not describe the Sweet Mignonette, that every one knows and everybody loves, and 
yet very few cultivate, compared with the many who might thus show their love for this sweet 
little flower. In Europe, especially in England and Germany, we 
noticed Mignonette growing in every possible place and in every im- 
aginable receptacle. For the wealthy, beautiful and costly Mignonette 
pots and boxes are provided, that will elegantly 
adorn the window sill, or nicely fill and beautify any 
niche or bracket. Those not blessed with so 
much of earthly good use ordinary flower pots, while 
the children press into the service broken teapots 
and old crockery of every conceivable pattern. Seeds 
of Mignonette can be sown at any season, so that 
by having pots prepared at different times a suc- 
cession of flowers can be secured, and Mignonette 
adorn the button hole and perfume the house at all times. The florists of Europe have intro- 
duced several new varieties of Mignonette among their novelties, claiming for them much 
superiority over our old and well loved Sweet Mignonette ; but these claims, we have always 
found, on trial, to have but little foundation in truth. The New White, with a larger flower and 
more robust growth, and a little whiter in color, is the only new kind of merit. 
MIRABILIS, Nat. Ord. NydaginacecB. 
Mirabilis Jalapa is the well known Marvel of Peru, a native, we believe, of South America, 
and also of the West Indies, and first found in Peru, soon after the discoveiy of the country, 
when everything from that strange land was considered marvelous. It 
was at one time supposed that the root of this plant furnished the Jalap 
of commerce, hence the name, but this was found to be untrue. It is 
also known as the Four-o'clock, because its flowers expand about that 
time in the evening and fade the next morning. By the French it is 
called Belle of the Night. It is really a good plant, 
about two feet in height, well branched, with bright 
foliage, fragrant flowers, desirable colors, and fine 
markings. Plants should be about two feet apart. 
It makes a nice summer hedge if set in a row about 
a foot apart. Seed should be planted in the open 
ground, where the plants are desired. The Mirab- 
ilis is generally treated as a half-hardy annual. 
The roots, however, may be taken up in the autumn and preserved like Dahlias, during the M'in 
ter; but as plants are obtained so readily from seed, and flower so soon, this course is seldom 
practiced. The flower shown in the engraving is about two-thirds the natural size. 
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