774 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 9, 1890. 
yet unborn in this sunny land, and prove also a lasting 
tribute to the skill of that grand old gardener, Mr. 
Chas. Moore, F.L.S., who has so long and so ably 
presided over the botanic gardens here. He alone has 
had the management of the vast amount of work 
rendered necessary in order to make a thing of beauty 
where previously scrub, waste, swamp and desolation 
reigned supreme, and right well has he performed his 
task.— J. JET. E., Sydney, June 23rd. 
--- 
CULTURE OF MIGNONETTE 
IN POTS. 
The importance of having Mignonette in quantity in 
the dark months of the year, especially where fragrant 
flowers are much in request, cannot be over-estimated ; 
hut to have it in quantity is frequently of primary 
consideration, to the all-too-certain ignoring of quality. 
Still, spikes of this fragrant plant when liberally grown 
bear a marked contrast to those of limited growth, 
although I will not dispute the point of fragrance in 
the respective spikes. So many incline to the weakness 
for fragrance, that in spite of remonstrance and ocular 
demonstration—and perhaps I may be pardoned for 
saying, nasal demonstration—-they remain unconvinced 
of anything superior. I have already said that I am 
unwilling to dispute, this point (although not through 
any defect in the nasal organ), but from repeated 
experiments with both methods of growing, and the 
popularity of large spikes over small spikes, I have 
become convinced of the superiority of the former. 
Offer a lady a few spikes of Mignonette from plants 
grown under different conditions, and in nine cases out 
of ten she will at once show preference for the larger 
spikes, and that, too, after smelling each. This is 
sufficient evidence .on which to base reliance for future 
guidance. I must confess I have thought a bed of poorly- 
grown Mignonette in the open air quite superior in 
point of fragrance to healthy strong-grown plants not 
many yards distant ; still, it is quite possible, indeed, 
highly probable, that this assumption is unfounded, and 
like others, open to doubt. Viewed in any aspect, the 
subject under notice is, and will remain, one of our 
indispensable fragrant plants. 
In the majority of places there is a demand for 
Mignonette all the year round, and to keep up an 
unfailing supply requires a little consideration, and 
sometimes stratagem. Plants outside seldom fail in 
their supply of cut bloom before the beginning of 
October, and thus it is advisable to prepare for that 
contingency. Supposing it to be required at this early 
date, seeds must be sown at once, and for Christmas 
also. For the earlier flowering the seeds should be 
sown in the pots in which they are expected to flower, 
and no pinching performed ' on the other hand, for 
later work, pinching, though not quite an absolute 
necessity, is nevertheless highly beneficial. To main¬ 
tain supplies until that sown in the open air is available, 
a pinch of seed should be sown early in September, 
nursed on through the winter in an ordinary green¬ 
house temperature, and then placed near the glass, 
ventilating on all favourable occasions ; while that 
sown now should be grown in frames until severe' 
weather sets in, and freely ventilated to keep sturdy. 
The compost for seed sowing may consist of good 
friable loam and leaf-soil, equal parts, that is, when 
sown in small pots to be shifted on, of which more as 
particulars proceed. All plants intended to supply 
flowers in winter must have ample drainage to carry off 
water quickly, and so prevent “souring.” This caution 
is very applicable to the subject under notice, and must 
have special attention. The flowering shift (when 
shifted at all) ought to be sound, and therefore a 
compost of good friable loam, forming one-half of the 
bulk, with old mortar rubbish, pounded charcoal, and 
dry cow-dung, as the other half, is requisite. The next 
important matter in this connection is to see that the 
soil is thoroughly dry when potting—not dust dry, as 
it must be driven pretty hard home, Mignonette, in 
the open ground or in pots, preferring a well consoli¬ 
dated soil, and this being attended to, with other 
matters, success is certain. 
On observation, it will be found that Mignonette is 
very impatient of any disturbance at the roots, and 
this must be carefully avoided, so that when shifting 
is resorted to, the ball must be kept intact. For 
ordinary cutting or decorative purposes the seeds may 
be sown in their permanent pots ; while for special 
specimens, either as bush or standard plants, the seeds 
should be sown in 3-in. pots, thinned, and shifted 
on as required. In each case the seeds must be sown 
thinly, and no approach to matting together tolerated. 
For 6-in. or 7-in. pots a dozen seeds are quite ample, 
while for 3-in. pots half that quantity is sufficient. 
The thinning must be done periodically until the best 
plant can be selected, and this done, a neat stake should 
be placed by its side, and the leader tied thereto as soon 
as fit, so that it may be kept straight. 
In the event of standard plants being wanted, strong 
growth must be encouraged from the beginning. 
Lateral growth will be abundant, and to keep a neat 
stem this must be pinched out as soon -as practicable 
with a sharp-pointed knife, continuing this operation 
until the desired height has been obtained, which for 
practical purposes need not exceed 15 ins. or 18 ins. 
As growth proceeds, the point must have careful 
attention, and when the desired height is reached, the 
point must be pinched out and lateral growth encouraged 
all round. Pinch a lateral here and there at intervals, 
and so furnish the head, which should be supported on 
a neat light frame attached to the centre staff. It may 
sometimes happen that the leader will fail to carry the 
growth on to the height desired, and this, when 
observed, must be reinstated by a promising lateral. 
It will readily be perceived that plants sown now and 
treated thus will not bloom much before Christmas, 
nor, indeed, very well then ; but still they will be use¬ 
ful in the early spring and summer months, and with 
care for more than one Christmas. I have had 
Mignonette good at the end of three years by liberal 
treatment while making their growth. Speaking of 
making their growth just reminds me to observe that 
they ought to have a slight rest after flowering by 
. merely putting them in cool airy quarters and with¬ 
holding water (at least partially) for a time ; they may 
afterwards be cut back and encouraged to make fresh 
growth similar to “cut-back” Fuchsias. When fairly 
started into growth they may be moved from their 
pots, which should have been well watered a few hours 
previous, a little of the old soil removed with a 
“teasing iron ” or sharp-pointed stick, and the ball 
carefully placed in a pot perhaps a size larger, though 
quite as often the same size will be found sufficient if 
some of the old soil be removed as advised. 
Standard plants trained on the umbrella or cone 
principle are not quite so profitable as are bush plants, 
from a utilitarian point of view," but this mode of 
training and their general appearance adapts them as 
very desirable objects for conservatory decoration. Not 
only so, but they are useful for the decoration of rooms, 
and as centres for groups on round bases form at once 
an interesting feature in the arrangement, other things 
being studied for the desired effect. Nor is this all: 
few people ever feel distressed by its pleasing fragrance 
in a dry, heated room, and few flowers retain their 
fragrance in a living-room like Mignonette—in short, 
this is one of their particular, not to say peculiar, 
qualities. 
Bush plants, when they show their flower-spikes, 
should be pinched to form a good foundation ; but 1 or 
early autumn flowering little or no pinching is necessary. 
On the contrary, plants for late blooming should be 
frequently pinched ; and this done judiciously, with 
other matters in detail carefully attended to, fragrant 
flowers may be cut daily for months together from a 
limited number of plants. 
Watering during the winter months must be done on 
careful principles, as any approach to indiscrimination 
in this matter will bring about the most dreaded evil 
in the culture of this subject—viz., damping. During 
the flowering period the plants will be much benefited 
by an occasional watering with weak liquid manure—- 
indeed, this will materially lengthen the blooming 
season ; and weak soot-water at intervals will give some 
tone to the foliage. All spikes not required for cutting 
should have the seed-pods removed as soon as formed, 
as these are a great drain on the plants, and if left, 
quickly put them out of flower —in short, ruin the plants 
entirely. When in flower they enjoy a temperature of 
50° to 55°, and a rather dry atmosphere. Associated 
with Pelargoniums, Primulas, and kindred subjects in 
the greenhouse or conservatory, they are quite at home, 
although, where the demand for cut spikes is considerable, 
a dry warm pit or Melon house will be found advan¬ 
tageous, and no material sacrifice when the value of this 
odoriferous plant is measured by the basketful. 
Although for ordinary purposes staking may seem 
quite unnecessary, yet to have straight spikes it is quite 
essential, as these are very guilty of leaning on each 
other, and growing as crooked as can be. Staking, if 
it does nothing else, admits air into the centre of 
the plants, thus justifying its adoption.' Wire of 
ordinary thickness, cut into lengths for the different 
varieties (all having different habits of growth), is of 
all other things the best, being almost invisible, and 
quite indestructible. In a recent article on “ The 
Culture of Herbaceous Calceolarias,” I meant to advise 
the use of “ wire ” for their staking, but through some 
inadvertence I am found advising the use of “bamboo 
canes ” as neat and indestructible. Undoubtedly these 
are very useful, and certainly more durable than 
ordinary stakes, but for light staking, and the latter 
qualification, are not to be compared to wire as 
previously considered ; but I frankly agree to, or 
pardon the mistake. A wire frame, projecting over the 
rim of the pots about 2 ins., for the lower shoots, makes 
a great difference in the appearance of the plants, if the 
remaining staking is carefully and judiciously done, 
while as few stakes as possible should find favour. The 
shoots need not necessarily be tied in bundles, but all 
will enjoy free space by tying individually, and 
when desired, or at all practicable should hang loosely 
between the stakes, giving all an easy and natural 
appearance. 
The varieties of Mignonette for pot culture are 
numerous enough to cause confusion, although all will 
prove themselves worthy of attention and suit various 
requirements. The most popular varieties are Miles’ 
Hybrid Spiral and Machet, while Crimson King, Golden 
Queen and Queen Victoria are all quite suitable— 
indeed, lend variety where that is a desideratum. 
Where large rigid spikes are in request Machet holds 
its own, while its fragrance Is second to none. Miles’ 
Hybrid Spiral is quite a formidable rival to Machet, 
and where long tapering spikes are considered most 
serviceable it merits best attention. Machet for 
standards and the latter for bush plants are all that 
can be desired, the former having a setting of foliage at 
the base of the flower which always enhances its value, 
either cut or otherwise. Crimson King and Golden 
Queen are good for their respective tints, and have a 
conspicuous appearance among others, while their 
fragrance is also good, although not quite so good as 
those most in favour. Mignonette will never be grown 
for tints, but its fragrance will always give it a place 
in the very front rank of our sweet smelling flowers.— 
J. Proctor, G-lenfinart. 
- **$<-*»-- 
SWEET PEAS. 
Just now the markets are flooded with Sweet Peas, 
and carts and baskets everywhere are redolent with 
their odour as they are taken to or carted away from 
the market and florists’ shops for re-distribution. The 
accession of dry weather will have the effect of 
hastening the plants all into bloom at once, so that in 
a short time there will be a comparative scarcity of a 
flower that is year by year becoming more popular. 
Specialists, in their culture of Sweet Peas, are singling 
out and selecting varieties of particular colours to 
which they attach special names, and this fact alone 
has resulted in greatly raising the merits of the race as 
a whole, as well as individual sorts. It is a well-known 
fact that if Sweet Peas are always grown in mixture 
the strong-growing kinds, which may or may not be of 
good quality, tend to crowd out the weaker ones, so 
that in a few years what was a good mixture of varieties 
originally, has become reduced to a few kinds of, 
perhaps, no special merit. All the same we like to see 
a good mixture, which becomes striking in proportion 
to the number of beautiful kinds in it. The best plan 
is to grow all the kinds separately for seeds, and mix the 
seeds annually for decorative purposes. 
The Collection at Chiswick. 
A large number of varieties are now in bloom in the 
gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society at Chis¬ 
wick. The effect produced by some of the finer kinds 
grown separately is very striking when seen in a mass, 
but the rows of mixed kinds, although of the same 
sorts, are quite charming. One of the most striking 
kinds is that named Empress of India, which is rosy 
carmine approaching scarlet, with pink wings, more or 
less reticulated with white. Splendour, of a rich dark 
rose shaded with carmine or scarlet, is equally fine. 
Cardinal is scarlet, sometimes edged with white, and 
the wings are rosy piurple. Somewhat similar is 
Duchess of Edinburgh, the standard of which is 
reticulated with a deeper scarlet, and the wings dark 
purple. Mrs. Gladstone is pink, tinted with salmon 
when opening, and The Bride is pure white and 
floriferous, with pale glaucous foliage. 
The above are all extremely choice, although there 
are many other distinct kinds which might be preferred 
by some. One of these is Primrose, a pale sulphur 
kind fading to white. Peach Blossom is pretty but 
inconstant, varying with flesh-coloured, pale or deep 
rose flowers. Princess Victoria is carmine, with rosy 
