Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-09-30
,.MIcnonetfe's meek humble form.

Without one tint upon her modest garb.
To draw the idle stare Of wandering eyes, rich
| In precious fragrance is that lovely one,
| SO loved for her sweet qualities, that |
should WOO her first amid world of flowers"
1t is a little more than century ago
since the mignonette WAS brought to us
from Egypt, blooming from early
| Spring to late Autumn in the open gar
len and of most delicious fragrance, it
| is universal favorite. Indeed Mr..
Henderson, the noted florist, considers
It the most popular annual grown.
Having but its perfume to attract
our notice, the Turks who are ia
nous for associating sentiment with
aowers attribute to it the language,
"Your qualities surpass your charms,
thus making it the emblem of one who
without claim to beauty attracts by
| thoss qualities which command respect
and affection.
The blooming of this plant may be
delayed until winter and it is said that
9y proper means it may converted into
L ligneous plant, so as to form small
shrub and live for years.
There are several species, white, red,
yellow and the Machet, a dwarf French
variety which Is considered one of the
very best.
A writer in Gardening Illustrated
some years ago gave careful directions
'or winter blooming of this favorIte
| lower:
take it for granted that every one
who loves flowers would wish to extend
the season in which the fragrance OF
Mignonette may be enjoyed, and 1 am
sure that were it more generally known
how easy it is to have it in bloom in
winter, few windows would be without
il. 1t is merely matter of sowing
some seed at the proper time, and shell.
tering the plants from cold and damp,
and Mignonette but little inferior to
that grown in the summer season may
be had in winter. Put a gOod-sized
crock in the bottom of a four and q
half inch pot, with a pinch of SCOT
therein to keep worms out; fill the pot
with good fine soil to within half an
inch of the rim, make the surface firm
and water moderately. Sow the seed
ihinly and place it in a shady position
till it germinates, after which time tha
young plants should get all the air and
sun they can. The last week in August
aud the first week In September form
the seasons for sowing for winter
bloom, and it Is az well to SOW two or
three pots ut intervals, as the character
.. the autumn will determine the time
oi the plants coming into flower. When
very fine, the August sowings are apt to
come into flower by the beginning OF
the winter, and when rather under the
average in this respect, as regards
warmth, the later sowings do not come
into flower till the season is well ad
vanced. Five plants will be enough to
each pot, and when they are four inches
or so in height, four slender stakes
should be inserted round the pot and n
piece of fine raffia passed from one to
the OF her, which will keep the growing
shoots in place. From the time they
begin to grow freely, attend we'll to
he watering, for if they suffer from
want of moisture at the root, the lower
leaves are sure to turn yellow, and
Mignonette loses half its beauty when
not well clothed with healthy foliage
% the rim of the pot. At the same
.ime, some care is needful not to make
the soil sour by watering when un-
necessary. A cool room is the place
for Mignonette in winter, as it dislikes
warmth and much confinement. An
fhcu1y WulCA htthCh5 AhlSuOuttte, hHu
soon ruins good plants if left alone, is
green caterpillar, so much the color
IF the foliage that a sharp eye is re-
Iuired to detect it. If not discovered,
me will destroy pot of Mignonette in
single night. When the plants are
housed 1t is quite small, and only comes
to full size during the winter, and,
,oncealing itself on the undertakes of
he leaves, it is not seen unless sought
or there.