172 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
EUPHORBIA,. 
flowered Mexican E. jacquinizeflora, one of 
the most effective of our winter-flowering 
plants. Although the genus is represented 
by such a number of species, there are 
only two that commend themselves to the 
attention of the cultivator of stove plants— 
the last named—E. jacquinieflora (or 
fulgens) and the ever-flowering E. splen- 
dens, from the Isle of France. The latter 
was at one time met with in every stove, 
and though of late years not so much 
grown as formerly, it is being brought into 
favour again by the fashion for button-hole 
flowers, as the colour as well as the endur- 
ance of its flowers especially adapt it for 
the purpose. There is another very useful 
property possessed by this species of 
Euphorbia to an extent existent in few 
plants, that is the continuous succession of 
flowers it produces. A fair-sized specimen 
under good treatment will keep on bloom- 
ing the whole of the year round. We have 
had a plant of this Euphorbia that was 
never out of flower for seven years, and for 
anything we know would have continued 
as much longer were it not that it had to 
be removed for some alterations. Where 
cut flowers for the above purpose, or for 
putting in, small glasses, are required, we 
know of no plant that will produce them 
so continuously ; it also possesses the merit 
of being easily grown. Its general habit, 
and the treatment it requires, is so different 
from E. jacquinizeflora, as to demand being 
dealt with separately. 
E. splendens is of a succulent nature, 
armed with numbers of stout spines; the 
leaves are comparatively small. Cuttings 
made from firm pieces of the wood will 
root at any time of the year, but are 
generally the most satisfactory when struck 
in the spring. Pieces of the points of the 
shoots, taken off 4 or 5 inches in length, 
and let to lay for a day in the stove after 
being severed from the plant, so as to allow 
the base to dry up a little, should then be 
put singly in small pots, drained and filled 
with a mixture of two-thirds silver sand to 
one of sifted loam ; they will root readily, 
but must not be kept too wet or covered 
with a propagating glass, as from their 
succulent nature and the comparatively 
little leaf-surtace they possess, they do not 
require to be confined to prevent flagging, 
as in the case of most plants; place them 
in a temperature of 65° in the night. When 
struck they may be allowed to remain in 
the small pots until they have made a 
considerable quantity of roots. As solar 
heat increases, the house may be kept 5° 
warmer in the night, and the temperature 
increased to 80° in the daytime, with sun 
heat. In June put them in 5-inch pots; 
these should be drained to one-fourth their 
depth, and the crocks covered with a little 
fibrous material. They will do the best in 
good loam, broken by hand into small 
pieces, to which is added one-sixth crocks, 
broken to the size of horse beans, and a 
like quantity of sand. In the cultivation 
of this Euphorbia thorough drainage and 
porosity of the soil are indispensable to 
success, and care should be taken never to 
over-pot ; it does not require near so much 
root-room in any stage of its growth, pro- 
portionate to the size of the plant, as most 
things. No shading is necessary, as it is 
naturally a sun-loving subject, the lighter 
the situation and the more fully exposed 
to the sun, the stouter will be the growth, 
and the greater the amount of bloom. As 
soon as they have got fairly into growth, 
take off the points to induce them to break 
several shoots ; give water as required, but 
the soil should never be kept so wet as for 
plants possessing more leaf-surface and of 
a less succulent character. The treatment 
needed through the summer will be nothing 
more than a continuation of that already 
recommended ; give air every day, and 
keep them in the driest part of the house, 
as they do not want so much moisture in 
the air as the generality of stove plants, 
such an atmosphere as is suitable for 
Pines being more in accordance with its 
requirements in this respect. In autumn 
reduce the heat, and keep them through 
the winter in a night temperature of 60°, 
with 5° or 10° more in the day. In the 
spring, again, gradually give more heat as 
the days lengthen, and shift them into 
pots 2 or 3 inches larger, using similar soil 
to that previously advised. The plant is 
naturally of a branching bushy habit, and 
does not generally require much stopping; 
but, if such appears to be needed, let it be 
done in time to induce their being well 
furnished with shoots at the base; it is 
naturally so free a flowerer that it will 
bloom in a very small size without much 
interfering with its growth ; consequently 
as the flowers appear they may be allowed 
to open, and can be used as required. Put 
a stick to the main stem sufficiently stout 
to give the necessary support, and a few to 
the outer branches, as the head is naturally 
heavy and requires to be thus held in 
shape. The after management requisite 
will simply be a continuation of the above 
treatment; each year give a little more pot- 
room as required until the specimens get 
to the size wanted, when they may be 
kept in a growing condition by the help of 
manure-water during the summer, and at 
times examine the drainage to see that it 
is right. The plant is well adapted for 
