174 



Greenhuuae and 6tove Plants. 



EURYA LATIFOLIA. 



respects as advised for tlie preceding 

 season. Tliis Euphorbia is also very suit- 

 able for gniAving on a back wall, in which 

 position it looks well ; but the flowers will 

 not be so high-coloured as when they 

 exp:nid in close proximity to the glass. If 

 planted out in sui h a situation the border 

 should be limited in size, a-s if the roots 

 are in too great a bfidy of soil they are 

 very liable to decay when the plant is hard 

 cut in, which it will require after blooming, 

 at wliich time and until some growth has 

 been made, the soil must be kept almost 

 dry. Through treatment the opposite of 

 this, when so situated, the plant often dies 

 after being cut back ; other-ndse, as also 

 when grown in pots, it will last for years. 

 Insects. — Both these Euphorbias are less 

 subject to insects than are most stove plants, 

 although thrips and spider will sometimes 

 attack them ; syringing and fumigation are 

 the best means for their destruction. 

 Should mealy bug make its appearance, 

 lay the plants on their sides, repeatedly 

 syringe freely with tepid water and wash 

 with insecticide in the winter when at rest ; 

 dress similarly for brown scale in the 

 dormant season, and use the sponge when 

 the plants are growing, as at this time they 

 would not bear an application of insecticide 

 strong enough to kill the insects. White 

 scale IS so difficult to thoroughly eradicate 

 when once it gets upon stove plants such 

 as these, that are easily propagated and 

 gro^\m quickly, that where it exists it is 

 better to start afresh with clean cuttings. 



EURYA LATIFOLIA VAEIEGATA. 



This handsome plant is a variegated 

 variety of the Japanese Eurya latifolia. 

 It differs from the normal form inasmuch 

 as half the surface of the leaves is Avhite, 

 and whilst young suffused with red, giving 

 the plant a distinct and handsome appear- 

 ance. In form the leaves are most like 

 those of the Orange but somewhat smaller. 

 It is a useful subject for greenhouse or 

 conservatory decoration, its bright foliage 

 livening up the darker hues of the green- 

 leaved plants with which it is associated. 

 It is a free grower, forming a moderately 

 dense bushy pyramid ; it strikes freely 

 from cuttings made from the points of the 

 shoots in a half-ripened condition, such as 

 are usually in a suitable state about July, 

 when the current season's growth is par- 

 tially solidified. Select those that are of 

 medium strength, take them off with about 

 three or four leaves, severing at a joint ; 

 put three or four together in 6-inch pots 

 filled with sand, keep moist, shaded, and 

 covered with propagating gla.sses in a tem- 



perature of 70°. They may be expected to 

 root in about two months, when remove 

 the glasses gradually, and place singly in 

 3-incli pots in good fibrous peat with some 

 sand added ; keep moderately close until 

 the roots begin to move freely in the soil, 

 and afford for a few weeks a temperatuie 

 of about 60° by night, with a rise in the 

 day proportionate to the time of the year. 

 Afterwards reduce it to 50°, the object 

 being to just keep the young plants moving 

 slowly through the winter, particularly in 

 the formation of the additional roots neces- 

 sary to support the top-growth that they 

 will make in spring. Give a little air in the 

 day when the weather will permit, and 

 water as the soil seems to require it. To- 

 wards April they will need moving into 

 5-inch pots, and soil similar to that of the 

 first potting should be used. 



This Eurya is only a little short of being 

 hardy in the mildest parts of England, but 

 it will be best to treat the young stock 

 through this first summer to an inter- 

 mediate temperature, say 55° to 60° in the 

 night and 70° to 75° by day, with more air 

 in the daj^time than admitted to the occu- 

 pants of the stove. Pinch out the points 

 of the leading shoots to cause the lower 

 eyes to break, with a view to the plants 

 being sufficiently clothed down to the base. 

 Shade slightly in the middle of the day, 

 keep the atmosphere moderately moist, 

 and syringe overhead at closing time in the 

 afternoons. By the end of June pots 2 

 inches larger will be required, and the soil 

 now used should be more lumpy. If the 

 plants do not branch out sufficiently they 

 must again have the points of the strongest 

 shoots pinched out. Continue to treat as 

 before until the middle of September, when 

 cease shading and syringing overhead, give 

 more air and gradually reduce the tempera- 

 ture to that suited for the generality of 

 greenhouse plants — say 40° in the night — 

 keeping them at this through the winter. 

 Give pots 2 or 3 inches larger about April, 

 and pinch out the points of the strongest 

 shoots. Ordinary greenhouse treatment 

 will be the best after the plants have 

 reached this stage ; continue to syringe 

 overhead in the afternoons in bright 

 weather, give plenty of air and light, and 

 shade so far as found needful to prevent 

 injury to the leaves, to which, in common 

 withVjther variegated-leaved plants, it is 

 more subject than are those that have their 

 foliage wholly green. Beyond this nothing 

 j more will be required except addititmal 

 pot-room as needed. When the plants 

 have grown to a size of 6 or 7 feet, forming, 

 as when well managed they do, handsome 

 densely-elothed pyramids, they are very 



