MIC 
MIR 
latum, coccineum, <?. minus, corns cans, 
curium majus, decumbens, denticulatum, 
d. glaucum, diversifolium, expansum, fal- 
catum, filicaule, jilamentosum, gracile, 
grandifiorwn, grossur, Ilaicortliii, insti- 
tium, Unguceforme, l. prostratum, macu- 
latum, macrorliizum, nitidum, pulchellum, 
pyropceum, roseum,Rcssii,Salmii, Schollii, 
splendens, and tuberosum are all very de¬ 
sirable. 
MICHAUXIA (L. Heuitiee.) Nat. 
Ord. Campanulacece. These plants re¬ 
quire the treatment usual for the bien¬ 
nial species of Campanula, and like them 
are very ornamental in the flower garden. 
MILTONIA (Lindley.) Nat. Ord. 
Orchidacece. This small genus stands 
conspicuously prominent, even in the 
magnificent order to which it belongs, 
on account of the number and beauty of 
the flowers which grace its several spe¬ 
cies. Nor are they at all difficult of 
management, requiring only to be treated 
in the manner recommended for Brassia 
or Cattleya; and when grown into a 
tolerably good specimen, nothing can 
exceed the grandeur of M. spectabilis or 
Candida, the large size and delicate 
white of the sepals and petals, contrasted 
with the rich crimson marking of the 
expansive lip of the former, when seen 
in any quantity, fully equal the most 
showy of the order; either of the above 
should always be included in every col¬ 
lection of Orchidaceous plants. 
MIMOSA (Adanson.) Nat. Ord. Le- 
giminosce. The elegant appearance of 
both foliage and flowers, together with 
lire singular irritability evinced by the 
leaves of some species, combine to ren¬ 
der this genus very interesting. The 
whole of them require greenhouse ma¬ 
nagement, to be potted in peat and loam, 
and to be well supplied with water in 
the growing season, with abundance of 
air whenever it can be admitted. One 
species is a favorite annual, and well 
known as the sensitive plant {M.pudica ); 
the seed of this should be sown on a 
gentle hot-bed in March, and the young 
plants potted and encouraged to grow 
as fast as possible, assimilating their 
treatment to that of the Balsam. Many 
speculations have been offered to account 
for the spontaneous movement of the 
leaves and leaf-stalks of the members of 
this and other genera, but of so contra¬ 
dictory a character that little reliance 
can be placed upon either; we would 
merely remark on this subject that the 
power appears to diminish in proportion 
as it is more or less employed, and there¬ 
fore it is better to avoid the irritation, 
if the health of the plants be an object 
to preserve. 
MIMULUS (Linn.) Nat, Ord. Scro- 
phulariacece. This genus is among the 
most ornamental of our hardy and half- 
hardy herbaceous plants. Two species 
have broken out into numberless varie¬ 
ties, these are cardinalis and luteus, the 
former especially seems capable of bring¬ 
ing a great deai of variety to the aid of 
the flower-gardener; both of these and 
M. moscliatus, or musk plant, as it is 
called, are valuable aids in that depart¬ 
ment, and are very generally grown for 
the purpose, being perfectly hardy and 
very prolific of flowers. A strong moist 
soil suits them best, and increase is easily 
effected either by seeds, cuttings, or di¬ 
vision of the roots. Should it be feared, 
from the dampness of the position, that 
the plants may die through the winter, 
it may be well to place some young- 
plants in pots and preserve them in a 
pit till wanted in the next year; this 
may be necessary for some of the tender 
species, such as lanatus, Smithii, and the 
most valuable of the seminal varieties, 
that the particular kinds may not by any 
chance be lost. Moscliatus and the va¬ 
rieties of luteus make excellent forcing- 
plants when brought on by a gentle 
regimen. 
MIRABILIS (Linn.) Nat. Order 
Nyctaginacea). The varieties of M. ja- 
lapa, or Marvel of Peru, are valuable 
ornaments of the borders of the flower 
garden. The seed should be sown in 
March on gentle heat, the young plants 
potted as soon as they can be safely 
handled, and by degrees be gradually 
inured to the open air, so as to be fit 
for planting out in May along with 
Dahlias and such plants; their after 
treatment closely resembles that of. the 
former, they should be staked and tied 
