MAX 
MES 
Through the summer they grow rapidly 
in any light rich soil, and should have 
constant attention to training, or the 
branches soon form a confused irretriev¬ 
ably entangled mass; cuttings should 
be struck about Midsummer for the 
next year’s supply, as the old plants do 
not often bear removal; the young stock 
thus produced should be potted into 
sandy peat and loam, and preserved in a 
cold pit or the greenhouse. The finest 
is M.BarclayanawAh rich pimple flowers, 
which are beautifully contrasted -with 
the pure white of M. alba , though unfor¬ 
tunately the latter is not a freeflowerer; 
there are also many seedling varieties, 
partaking more or less of the character 
of the old semperjlorens. 
MAXILLARIA (Ruiz and Pavox.) 
Nat. Ord. Orchidacece. Formerly this 
genus contained a great many very ex¬ 
traordinary and beautiful forms, which 
are now separated into the genera Ly- 
caste , Scuticaria , Bromoncea , Houllettia, 
Bifrenaria , Baphinia , and others, leaving 
the original genus completely destitute 
of aught but a number of curious but 
inconspicuous species, which, with a few 
exceptions, are hardly worth the cultu- 
rist’s care. For management they may 
be referred to Lycaste. 
MELASTOMA (Burmaxx.) Nat. 
Ord. Melastomaceee. Showy stove plants 
of the easiest culture, growing freely in 
peat and loam, some of the species, as 
Sanguinea, Banksii , &c., are valuable for 
blooming in winter. M. mexicana is 
very nearly hardy, the protection of a 
cold pit being sufficient to preserve it 
through the winter, and in good situa¬ 
tions it forms a desirable bedding plant. 
MELOCACTUS (C. Bauhix.) Nat- 
Ord. Cactacece. These plants are readily 
distinguished from the allied genera by 
their form, which, as the name expresses, 
is that of a melon, their rounded outline 
being deeply cut so as to form large 
prominent ribs. In cultivation, they 
require precisely the management of 
Mammillaria or Bchinocactus. 
MESEMBRYANTHEMUM (Lixx.) 
Nat. Ord. Bicoidea:. This is perhaps the 
most extensive genus we possess any 
knowledge of; there are considerably 
more than four hundred species culti¬ 
vated in our gardens, and what is worthy 
of remark, everyone of this vast number 
is distinguished by a curious and inter¬ 
esting habit of growth, and the majority 
by the splendour of their flowers. Taken 
as a whole there is but one other genus 
which will bear a comparison, and it is 
also remarkable that both are derived 
from the same country : the Mesembry- 
anthemum and Brica are sufficient in 
themselves to stamp the Cape of Good 
Hope with the highest character in bo¬ 
tanical history, even were they its only 
flora. Coming as they do from the 
temperate regions of the Cape, very 
little attention is sufficient to cultivate 
them well; they require a. temperature 
just elevated so as to preserve them 
from frost in winter, and an atmosphere 
kept perfectly dry and sweet. In sum¬ 
mer, however, they cannot have too 
much sun heat, as they delight in the 
full flood of his strongest power, and 
must be watered in proportion thereto ; 
at this part of the year many of the spe¬ 
cies may be devoted to the embellish¬ 
ment of the flower garden, and appear 
to much advantage when seen creeping 
over and among the crevices of rock- 
work, and if any part of this is exposed 
to the sun, no better or more appro¬ 
priate occupants will be found for it 
than the members of this genus ; beds 
may also be filled with them, especially 
of the beautiful little annual species Ilf. 
pyropeum or tricolor, taking the precau¬ 
tion to cover the surface of the soil with 
rough stones, for the twofold purpose 
of increasing the heat to the plants by 
radiation, and for keeping them compa¬ 
ratively dry about the stem. Small pots 
filled with sandy loam are best for stor¬ 
ing the plants through the winter, and 
an abundant stock may readily be had by 
striking small pieces through the sum¬ 
mer. Those which are grown in pots 
as specimens, should be shifted at least 
annually in the spring, allowing them a 
moderate, space for their roots, and 
mixing with soil a considerable number 
of pieces of free-stone or broken pot¬ 
sherds. Acinaciforme, agnimm, Aitoni, 
aUenuaf iim , bicolor minus , blandum 3 clavel- 
