THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 37 



gone, the only attention required will be to supply them with water. 

 Wbea they go out of bloom, the supply of water must be m.aterially 

 reduced. They should also be placed in a cool part of the stove to 

 insure their having a thorough rest. They are frequently packed 

 away under the stages, but it is not a good practice to piit them 

 there, especially as they may be placed out of sight behind other 

 tall plants. 



There are two good ways of propagating Poinsettias ; one is by 

 means of eyes prepared in much the same manner as the eyes of 

 grape vines, and the other by cuttings. The latter is decidedly the 

 best for amateurs, because of the danger of the eyes decaying. We 

 have no difficulty with them, but then we are accustomed to the 

 work, and know exactly what to do and what to avoid, and I am 

 anxious that the amateur should not undertake anything of which 

 there is good grounds for believing that he will not be able to carry 

 out. I will therefore say nothing about the striking of eyes, but will 

 })roceed to deal with the propagation by cuttings. This work should 

 commence in April, and to insure a supply of cuttings the old plants 

 must be started into growth by the end of February or the beginning 

 of March. The soft tops may be removed when the plants are at 

 rest, but no further pruning will be required. Placed in a warm 

 corner of the stove, and supplied moderately with water, they will 

 soon commence to make new growth. Cuttings which have 

 become rather firm strike most readily ; shoots of three or four joints 

 each are the best, and, if taken off with the thinnest slice possible, 

 there will not be much danger of their damping off. They will 

 soon strike in a brisk heat, and if a hotbed has been made up for 

 cucumbers, partly plunge the cutting-pots in the bed, otherwise let 

 them have a warm corner in the stove. 



They must have no check from the first, and if plants witli single 

 stems are required put the cuttings singly into " thumbs," and shift 

 them on until they are put into six-inch pots. Large specimens 

 may be obtained without the labour of training, by putting four or 

 five cuttings into three-inch pots, and then repotting them as more 

 root space'^is required, until they are put into eight-inch pots. They 

 must be shifted on as fast as they fill the pots with roots, until they 

 receive their final shift, because allowing them to become pot-bound 

 in the earliest stages of growth is most hurtful to them. A nice 

 moist atmosphere and plenty of moisture at the roots is most essen- 

 tial to success, and it may be well to mention also that if they suffer 

 much from dryness at the root, a large portion of the leaves will fall 

 off. They do not require much air excepting during the hottest 

 summer, and the pit or house in which they are placed must be ven- 

 tilated freely, for they require no shade, and if exposed fully to 

 brilliant sunshine with but little air, some of the leaves ;will in all 

 probability be scorched. Cold draughts are most injurious, especially 

 during the early part of the season. They will bear a high tempera- 

 ture without injury, but during the summer season they require very 

 little artificial heut, as sufficient warmth can be provided for them by 

 a careful storage of the sun's heat, by shutting up early in the after- 

 noon. As there is a considerable risk of their being drawn up when 



Fabruary. 



