Mouse Tail

Dendrobium Myo-surns.

Mouse Thorn

Centaurea Mya-cantka.

Moving Plant

Besmodium gy-rans.

Mowing

Mowing is, next to digging, the most laborious of the gardener's employments ; and requires much practice, as well as an extremely sharp scythe, before he can attain to the art of shaving the lawn or grass plot smoothly and equally. A mowing machine has been invented by Mr. Budding and others, and is represented in this outline. It cuts, collects, and rolls the grass at the same time.

Fig. 101.

Mowing is most easily performed whilst the blades of grass are wet, as they then cling to the scythe, and are consequently erect against its cutting edge. The operation, therefore, should be performed early in the morning, before the dew has evaporated, or whilst the grass is wet from rain or artificial watering. See Scythe.

Mudding

Mudding or Puddling, is dipping the roots of trees, shrubs, and seedlings in a thin mud or puddle, and retaining them there until again planted, whenever they are removed. It is one of the best aids to success, and should be universally adopted, for it is a rule without exception, that the less the roots of a plant are injured, and the moister they are kept during its removal, the less does it suffer by the transplanting. The best of all muds for the purpose is formed of three pounds of garden soil, one ounce of salt, eight ounces of soot, and one gallon of water.

Mulching

Mulching, is placing mulch, or long moist stable litter, upon the surface of the soil, over the roots of newly planted trees and shrubs. The best mode is to form a trench about six inches deep, to put in the mulch, and cover it with the earth. This prevents the mulch being dried or scattered by the winds, and is more neat than exposing it on the surface. Mulching keeps the moisture from evaporating, and prevents frost penetrating to the roots, straw being one of the worst conductors of heat.

Mule

Mule or Hybrid, is a plant raised from seed generated by parents of distinct species, and consequently unfertile. See Hybridizing.

Mullera

Mullera moniliformis. Stove evergreen tree. Young cuttings. - Loam and peat.

Multiplicate Flower

See Double Flower.

Mundia

Mundia spinosa, and its variety. Green-house and evergreen fruit shrubs. Young cuttings. Sandy peat.

Muntingia

Muntingia calabura. Stove evergreen shrub. Cuttings. Light loamy soil.

Muraltia

Fourteen species. - Green-house evergreen shrubs. Young cuttings. Sandy peat.

Murraya

Two species. Stove evergreens; one a shrub, the other a tree. Ripe cuttings, with their leaves. Turfy loam and peat.

Murucuya

Two species. Stove evergreen climbers. Cuttings. Loam and peat.

Muscari

Eleven species. Hardy bulbous perennials. Offsets. Sandy loam.

Musk-Flower

Mimulus mos-chdta.

Mussaenda

Eight species. Stove evergreen shrubs. Cuttings. Loam and peat.