THE MIMULUS AS A DECORATIVE PLANT. 
109 
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things in these nurseries which are budded are now tied with cotton—Roses, ornamental trees, shrubs, 
fruit trees, &c.; it is found much cheaper than matting at the first cost, and matting requires much 
more labour in cutting, splitting, wetting, &c., before it is used; cotton, on the contrary, requires only 
cutting in lengths, when it is ready for use; it can be employed more expeditiously, and is more 
efficient. 
THE MIMULUS AS A DECORATIVE PLANT. 
By Mr. H. ROSIER, Brooxlaxds Nursery, Blackheath. 
TTIHIS gay and beautiful tribe appears not to be so extensively cultivated as its merits deserve, for 
A among them are a number of varieties of great beauty, spotted and pencilled in many shades of 
colour, and for the decoration of the conservatory or greenhouse in the early part of the season, they 
will be found among soft-wooded plants a great acquisition. It can with proper management, by 
taking cuttings or suckers at different periods, be made to 
give its beautiful flowers from early spring until late autumn, 
and make a great display. 
In the few remarks which I am about to make on its 
cultivation, I will mention a few of the most showy and 
distinct varieties, as a guide for those who are unacquainted 
with the better kinds :— 
Conductor .—A fine bold orange, with deep chocolate 
marking on the lip, the finest of the very dark ones. 
Harlequin. —A bright lemon colour, with clearly defined 
brown spots, very large and strong habit. 
Rida .—A cream colour, spotted all over with bright 
chocolate, very novel and striking in appearance, and will 
be found a most desirable variety. 
Formosa elegans .—Yellow with brown marbled marking, 
a good bold flower. 
MIMULUS MCLAINII. 
Moodyii .—A fine bold orange with brown spots. 
Rubina .—A finely formed flower, deep lemon colour 
spotted in the throat, and edged or banded with bright 
crimson. 
If large plants and fine flowers are the objects aimed at, 
high cultivation is necessary to produce them. 
"When once started into growth in the spring, care must 
be taken that they do not receive a check, which will at once 
throw them into flower. I have found the beginning of 
February the best time for starting them. When they have 
grown about an inch take strong cuttings, or the suckers 
already rooted, and insert them in small pots, one in each, 
in a good rich compost, with plenty of river sand incor¬ 
porated, for being river plants they delight in this. Place 
them on a slight hot-bed, or put them in a warm house, to 
give them a fair start as soon as they are rooted, which will be in a short time, and water liberally, 
never allowing them to get dry. As soon as the roots have got to the outside of the pots a liberal shift 
may be given, and after a few days they should be stopped, which will cause them to throw out strong 
side branches, which, when long enough, must be supported by sticks to secure them from accident by 
wind, and other causes. 
The compost I have found them do best in, is a mixture of good maiden loam, and well decomposed 
cow-dung, with plenty of river or silver sand. Pinch out the first flowers, for if allowed to flower in 
too early a stage it weakens them, and they will not grow half so large. If they grow vigorously 
which they should do under good treatment, they will require shifting every three or four weeks, until 
they are in pots large enough, which should be eight or eleven inch pots for fine specimens. When 
they have made their growth, place them in a cool and shady place in the greenhouse or conservatory, 
where they will get a free circulation of air, and they will be found to be objects of great beauty for 
a long time. Seeds collected and sown early in the spring make fine plants, and produce a great many 
striking and novel varieties. 
eve 
