172 



Greculiouse and IStuce Plants. 



EUPHORBIA. 



flowered Mexican E. jacquiniBcflora, one of 

 tlie most efi'ective of our winter-flowering 

 plants. Although the genus is representttl 

 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. jacquinia) flora (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 fl(nvers 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 difl'erent 

 from E. jacqiiiniajHora, 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 fiim 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 oft' 4 or 5 inches in length, 

 and let to lay for a day in the stove aftei' 

 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 fllled 

 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 projiagating glass, as from their 

 succulent nature and the comjiaratively 

 little leaf-surface they possess, they do not 

 require to be confined to prevent flagging, 

 as in the case of most jalants ; place them 

 in a tempei'ature of 65° in the night. "VA^hen 

 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 temj^erature 

 increased to 80° in the daytime, with sun 

 heat. In June p\it 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 requiie near so much 

 root-room in any stage of its growth, pro- 

 jjortionate 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 gieater the amount of bloom. As 

 soon as they have got fairly into growth, 

 take ofl" 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 ail' as the generality of sto^'e plants, 

 such an atmosphere as is suitable for 

 Pines being moie in accordance with its 

 requirements in this respect. In autumn 

 recluce the heat, and keep them through 

 the winter in a night temperature of 60°, 

 with 5° or 10° inoie 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 jiot- 

 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 



