Marl

Marl is a compound of chalk (carbonate of lime) with either siliceous sand or alumina. In the first instance, it is a siliceous marl, best applied to heavy soils; and in the latter a clayey marl, adapted for light lands. Slaty and shellmarls are varieties of the siliceous. The relative proportions of the constituents vary indefinitely, the chalk amounting from 15 to 75 per cent. The quantity applied per aere must also vary greatly, according to the object to be attained. To render a light soil more tenaceous 100 tons per acre of clayey marl are not too much; neither is the same quantity of siliceous marl an excess, if applied to a heavy soil to render it more friable. For much useful information on this subject, see "Ruffin on Calcareous Manures," a Virginia publication.

Marlea

Marlea begoniaefolia. Greenhouse evergreen shrub. Half-ripened cuttings. Peat and loam.

Marrubium

Nine species. Hardy herbaceous pergnnials. Division or seed. Common soil.

Marshallia

Four species. Half-hardy herbaceous perennials. Cuttings. Loam and peat.

Marsh Mallow

Althoea.

Martynia

Four species. Stove or green-house annuals. Seeds. Light rich soil.

Masdevallia

Masdevallia infracta. Stove orchid. Division. Wood.

Massonia

Thirteen species. Green-house bulbous perennials. Offsets or seeds. Loam, peat and sand.

Masterwort

Astrantia.

Mastic

Majorana crassifolia.

Mastich

Thymus mastichina.

Mastich Tree

Pistacia lentiscus.

Mathiola

The Stock. Twenty-two species and several varieties. The hardy annuals and biennials, and the half-hardy shrubby kinds, increase by seeds, and grow well in loam and peat. The green-house evergreen shrubby species, cuttings, light soil and sand. See Stock.

Mattia

Two species. Hardy herbaceous perennials. Division. Common soil.

Maurandya

Three species. Green-house evergreen twiners. Young cuttings or seeds. Light rich soil.

Mauritia

Three species. Palms. Rich sandy loam, and a strong moist heat.

Maxillaria

Fifty-four species. Stove epiphytes. Division. Wood.

Maximiliana

Maximiliana regia. Palm. Rich sandy loam, and a good moist heat.

May

May requires the gardener's especial care in every department of his grounds.

Orchard

Apples (Wall and Espalier), trim and train, e. - Apricots, trim and thin their fruit. - Budded Trees, remove shoots from stocks below the buds. - Grafts, remove clay and loosen bandages from, e.; remove shoots from stock. - Insects, watch for and destroy with lime-dust, tobacco, or other application. - MulCh, continue round late-planted trees. - Nectarines, trim and train; thin fruit. - Peaches, trim and train; thin fruit. - Pears (Wall and Espalier), trim and train, e. - Plums (Wall and Espalier), trim and train, e. - Salt, strewn along the top of a wall, prevents slugs and snails coming over from the shaded side. - Snails, destroy; they are very destructive now to wall-fruit, especially nectarines. - Vines, trim and train; hoe frequently those in vineyard. - Wall Trees generally require training this month. - Water, apply by the engine to wall-trees and espaliers; give to newly-planted trees, in dry weather, frequently.