Stove and Greenhouse Plants and Flowers 201 



Generally speaking, the weakly looking seedlings amongst the single 

 Petunias are those which often produce the finest shades of colour later 

 on; and amongst the doubles the weaker seedlings usually become the 

 most gorgeous and beautifully frilled, &c., when in blossom. 



When particularly fine strains are required true to name, they are 

 raised from cuttings. These are taken from the non-flowering side shoots 

 in August, and when inserted in sandy soil and well watered are plunged 

 in a brisk bottom heat of 70 to 75 F. They root readily, and are after- 

 wards transferred to somewhat cooler places and potted up singly. During 

 the winter months they are grown as near the glass as possible in a warm 

 greenhouse, and in February and March the tops may be taken off and 

 rooted as in August. 



Plumbago capensis. A well-known South African climbing shrub 

 having pale-blue flowers in the type, and also a white variety. Flourishes 

 in sandy loam and is increased from cuttings. 



Poinsettia (Euphorbia) pulcherrima. For many years this brilliant- 

 looking Mexican Spurgewort has been a favourite in the market during 

 the winter months, not because 

 of the beauty of its flowers, 

 which are small and yellow, but 

 because of the whorls of scarlet 

 leaves or bracts at the top of the 

 stems. There is a variety having 

 white instead of scarlet bracts, 

 but it is not likely to be a 

 market plant. There is also a 

 so-called double variety (plenis- 

 sima), in which clusters of 

 smaller brightly coloured bracts 



are borne within the larger ones, 

 and, as they colour in succession, 

 the decorative season is some- 

 what prolonged (fig. 296). 



Plants for market are grown 

 as short as possible, usually in 

 5-in. or 6-in. pots. They are 

 raised each year from cuttings 

 taken between May and June to 

 the beginning of August from 

 stock plants which are cut down 

 earlier in the year (March), and 

 are started into growth in a 



fairly warm greenhouse. The cuttings are from 4 to 5 in. in length, and 

 some growers only cut them halfway through at first, and then leave them 

 for a day or two before severing completely from the parent plant. In 

 this way the poisonous milky juice is not wasted so much, and the cut- 



Fig. 296. Poinsettia pulcherrima 



