338 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Nat. Ord. Ficoidaceae. With the exception of M. edule (Hottentot 
Fig), which thrives outdoors in favoured spots on the Welsh 
coast and in the South and West, producing shoots many 
feet in length, the species named below are only suited for 
outdoor culture in summer. M. cordifolium variegatum is a 
dwarf trailing species with leaves edged with creamy white, 
and is much used for carpet bedding or for edging beds, 
draping vases and window boxes. It is a very ornamental 
plant. The best way to propagate it is to insert small cuttings 
rather thickly together in shallow pans filled with light sandy 
soil during the autumn, as the growth then is not so sappy, 
and on that account not so liable to damp off. After the cut- 
tings are inserted, give the pans a watering through a fine 
rose to settle down the soil. They should then be stood in the 
sun for an hour or two so that the superfluous moisture may 
dry up again. The pans may then be placed in a frame or 
on a greenhouse shelf, no more water being necessary till 
roots have formed, unless the weather be hot and dry, and the 
cuttings show signs of shrivelling, and then only sufficient 
should be applied to keep them plump. By spring they will 
be nice plants, and may be potted off into small pots. If 
more plants are required, cuttings may be taken from these 
and inserted in heat in spring, but care must be taken not to 
over water them or they will damp off. Plant out in May or 
June, and as the shoots grow, peg them down to the surface, 
then a neat edging will be ensured. The other species are 
annuals. They are M. crystallinum (Ice Plant), a suitable 
kind to grow on a sunny rockery ; M. pomeridianum, a species 
growing 6in. high and bearing yellow flowers in summer ; and 
M. tricolor, a pretty dwarf species, with pink or crimson 
flowers having a dark centre. Sow seeds of the Ice Plant in 
heat in March and plant out in May ; the others may be sown 
outdoors in April on a sunny rockery, or a dry sunny border. 
M. edule may be planted out in May and left to take care 
of itself. Easily increased by cuttings as advised for M. 
cordifolium. 
Mirabilis (Marvel of Peru.— -A genus of showy herba- 
ceous perennials with tuberous roots, belonging to the Nat. 
Ord. Nyctaginacese. M. Jalapa is a Peruvian species, growing 
3ft. or so high, and bearing red lilac, white or yellow fragrant 
flowers late in summer. There are dwarf and semi-dwarf 
forms of it, and all make handsome plants for growing in 
mixed sunny borders in good ordinary soil. Not being hardy 
it requires to be treated like the dahlia, i.e., have its tuberous 
roots lifted in October and stored away in a frost-proof place 
till May, then planted out, or started in gentle heat in March, 
hardened off in May and planted out in June. M. longiflora 
