MIGNONETTE. Reseda odorata. A plant of the most delicate fragrance and of easy cul tivation, but which transplants with difficulty. Therefore it should be sown where it is to stand, or else sown in pots and transplanted with the ball entire. A good plant should be in every window collection in winter. Sow the seed in the pot in which it is to flower in September, and after the seed is up give plenty of heat, but not too much water. Many complain that they lose their mignonette in winter; this is owing to its being kept too damp. It should have little or no water for about three months during the dull season, and care should be taken to keep it from drip, which is sure to kill whatever plant it falls upon. When small pots are used, par ticular care need not be taken to have the soil very rich, provided it is light; but when sown at ouce in flowering pots, richer material should be used, draining well, and placing on the top of the crocks, in the bottom of the pots, flaky pieces of decayed manure for the double pur pose of affording nourishment to the plant when coming into bloom, and to keep the soil from choking up the drainage. Autumn sown plants into nto larger pots at Christmas will bloom till May; and another sowing now will succeed them, after which it may be had plentifully; and no amount can be too large in the open ground. Unpromising plants, if topped back
about this time, come in nicely for winter boxes in May. Pots of them may be set among stocks, geraniums, or other dwarf plants, the box filled up with rich, light soil, and finished off with a good watering to settle the earth around the roots. Boxes thus arranged are beautiful orna ments for the window-sill; the geraniums or other flowers giving brilliancy and the migno nette fragrance. Tree mignonette, a vigorous plant from the common kind sown in April should be chosen, put into a pot by itself, and all summer the blossom buds to be taken off as fast as they appear. In the autumn the lower side shoots must be taken off, so as to form the plant into a miniature tree. It may afterwards be transplanted into a larger pot with soil formed of sand, and turf broken into small pieces. The plant should be kept in a warm room all winter, regularly watered every day, and in the spring the stem will begin to appear woody. The second summer the same treat ment should be observed, and the following spring it will have bark on its trunk and be completely a shrub. It may now be suffered to flower, and its blossoms will be delightfully fragrant; and will be produced every summer for many years.