AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



541 



Euphorbia continued. 



is E. splendent. The last is nearly always, more or less, 

 in flower; and, although very ornamental, ia not of much 

 use, except to remain in the stove. Slow-growing Eu- 

 phorbias, which are kept for the sake of their addition 

 to a collection of succulent plants, do not require much 

 water, nor a rich soil to grow in. Sandy loam and crashed 

 pieces of brick, in nearly equal proportions, form a suitable 

 compost. E. fulgent is a somewhat slender-growing plant, 

 and is frequently found rather difficult to establish. It 

 succeeds well planted out in the warmest part of a stove, 

 and trained up the back wall or on the roof. It has also 

 been found to grow and flower profusely in a house with 

 Pines, the moisture in summer and drier heat in winter, 

 suiting admirably. It is very impatient of root disturb- 

 ance, and will not bear sudden changes of temperature 

 without losing its leaves. For culture in pots, young 

 plants may be raised annually. Cuttings Sin. long are 

 best; they should be inserted about June, three in a 

 small pot, and kept close in a warm propagating frame 

 until rooted. These may be afterwards 

 kept growing in heat, and transferred 

 bodily into larger pots, without dis- 

 tnrbing the roots. If treated in this 

 way, they need not be stopped, and 

 the single shoots will consequently be 

 much stronger. The plants will not bear 

 cold at any time, but will succeed in 

 frames during the latter part of summer. 

 The flowers are small, produced all along 

 the upper part of the shoots in winter, 

 so that the ripening of the latter by ex- 

 posure to sun, is important. If kept a 

 little cooler when in flower, they last a 

 long time in beauty, and may be used for 

 cutting, although the leaves frequently 

 droop very quickly. When flowering is 

 over, the plants should be kept quite dry 

 and allowed to rest for a period of three 

 or four months. As is the case with 

 nearly all the species, the beauty of 

 E. pidcherrima does not reside so much 

 in the flowers as in the bracts with 

 which they are surrounded. The system 

 of culture is much the same as with the 

 species already described, but varies in 

 some respects, as the plants are much 

 stronger-growing. Any old ones that 

 have been resting should be introduced 

 to heat about the beginning of June, and, 

 if kept watered, will soon supply plenty of cuttings. 

 These are best inserted singly in small pots, without 

 crocks, in order to preserve the roots afterwards 

 best summer quarters is on a spent hotbed, where tl 

 tops can be kept near the glass at all times, being lowered, 

 as becomes necessary, by the removal of the manure un- 

 derneath. It is advisable to put in several batches < 

 cuttings successionally, as plants of various heights may 

 then be obtained. The general plan is to grow on yo 

 ones annually, without stopping, the object being to pro- 

 duce a large terminal head of bracts on each. The ol 

 plants may also be grown if desired. They will not be 

 exposure to a low temperature in autumn, the result taw* 

 invariably the loss of either the roots or leaves. Whei 

 the bracts appear, more heat and some manure water 

 may be applied, to expand them, and the plants shoul 

 afterwards be kept a little cooler, to prolong the seasoi 

 in which they remain attractive. E ***" 

 ceeds best in a soil composed of one-half turfy loam, th 

 remainder being equal parts of dried cow-manure and 

 leaf soil. Pots Sin. to Tin. in diameter are suitable fc 

 single plants to flower in. Retaining the foliage in 

 good condition throughout the season, is an ind.ca 

 good culture, and one of the main provisions- for secur 

 in* the full development of the flower-heads. Sudden 



Euphorbia continued. 



changes of temperature in either direction must be 

 avoided, and the plants exposed to plenty of light and 

 full sunshine, except when it is very strong, in summer. 

 After flowering, they should be kept quite dry, in a 

 warm place, to supply cuttings the next year. 

 E. atropurpurea (dark-purple). JL (= bracts) deep 

 or blooUcoloured, large, broadly oblong, obtuse, 

 the base ; involucre small, cap-shaped, red. with four 



yellow-green glands at the margin. March. J. n 

 late, tapering at the base, obtuse, pale glaucous-green, 

 ing. A. 3ft. to 6ft. Teneriff e. A Tery pretty g 



drooping. A. 3ft. to 



) 



(Cypress Sparge). JL yellow, umbellate; in- 



Tolu'cfal leaves somewhat cordate, about twenty in number, often 



yellow. Spring. t linear, quite entire, somewhat crowded. A. 1ft. 



to 2ft Kurop* (natural in KnU.nj. H ardy. (Sy. En. B. 1262.) 

 5. fulgens (shining). JL, bracts bright orange-scarlet, axillary. 



forming long wreaths. L bright green, lanceolate, A. 4ft. 



Mexico, 1836. Stove. One of the handsomest of winter-flowering 



plants. SVS. E. jocquiniajlora. (B. M. 3673.) 

 B. Jacqulniflora (Jacquinia-floweredX Synonymous with 



B. fulgent. 



FIG. 741. EUPHORBIA MELOFORMIS. 



E. mcloformis (Melon-like). JL greenish. Plant unarmed with 

 many angles. A. 6in. to 9in. Cape of Good Hope, 1774. Store 

 or warm greenhouse. See Fig. 74L 



E. Monteiri (Monteiro's). JL green; involucre sub-regulai 



narrow^spa'thul^te.' Branchlets flonferous. A. 2ft. to 6ft. Bauial 

 1864. A ^rv remarkable species, on account of the cunous suc- 

 cessive productions of the staminate flowers. S 



E. Myrsinites (Mywtaitert *. yellow, to an *t * 

 fieto nine rays, surrounded by an involucre oi '*. 



h. 2ft. to 6ft. Mexico, 1834. Shrub. Srx. Pmntettw 

 (B M 3493.) There is a variety of this with 

 wl bractTand another (X. P . pUni^ima) with double 

 series of bracts (G. C. n. s., . 17). 



, bracta 



ht red, waxy, clustered. 

 Stems ^ark-coloured. 



r; 



verticillate vitota, with dense terminal tufto of 

 ow flower heaSTSd linear-oblong leaves. Among 



indigenoStothis country. iSSSSttHf and Tara.'.o, 



