36 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



CULTIVATION OF POIXSETTIA PULCHEEEIMA. 



BY EOBEET OUBRIDGE, 

 Church Walk Nursery, Stoke Newiogton, N. 



fOIXSETTIA Palcberrima is so tboroiiglily valuable for 

 decorations during the festivities of the New Tear, that 

 every amateur who has the convenience of a stove 

 should grow a few plants. It may not at first sight ap- 

 pear to be well adapted to the requirements of amateurs, 

 but it is quite as mucb so as any other winter-flowering plant tliat 

 could be named. It is wonderfully eftective when associated with 

 the other plants in the stove, or with groups of palms, ferns, and fine 

 foliage plants, which are occasionally arranged in the indoor apart- 

 ments. Its grand crowns of crimson bracts show to wonderful 

 advantage when under the influence of artificial light ; and the 

 bracts can be most advantageously employed in the dressing of 

 epergnes or vases. There are not many readers of the Floral 

 World who have not seen Poinsettias at some time or other, and I 

 shall not, therefore, occupy much space in describing them. They 

 bear, it may be observed, large heads of bracts of the most brilliant 

 crimson at tbe end of the shoots ; and these heads range from four 

 to twelve inches in diameter, according to the strength of the plants. 

 The smallest sized heads are not large enough to make mucli of a 

 display, unless the plants are trained in the form of bushes, and 

 then their number compensates to a certain extent for their want of 

 size. But the amateur who can assure heads ranging from six to 

 eight inches across, may rest content, for they will be quite large 

 enough for producing a decisive efiect. 



The Poinsettia is grown largely in the Church "Walk Nursery 

 for the London markets ; and this season we had considerably over 

 two thousand plants. In the management of so large a stock, we 

 are bound to avoid all unnecessary work, and have consequently 

 deviated somewhat from the system which prevails in private gar- 

 dens. The case of the amateur and market-grower is much the 

 same in tbe cultivation of plants of which a comparatively large 

 stock is required ; both are of necessity compelled to adopt the 

 easiest and the most simple system possible. The way in which our 

 stock of Poinsettias is grown is simple enough to be readily under- 

 stood, and there is certainly nothing about it that cannot be carried 

 out by an amateur ciiltivator who is fortunate enough to possess a 

 stove in which to place them during the winter season. It may be 

 said that the present moment is most favourable for purchasing a 

 few plants, provided they be protected from frost and cold on their 

 way home. There will not be much diflference in the price that 

 will have to be paid now and tliat which will be required in the 

 spring ; but from a plant that is now nicely established, several 

 plants may be obtained. Those raised from cuttings struck at 

 home will, in all probability, be more thrifty than those purchased 

 in a email state. TJntil the freshness and beauty of the bracts are 



