STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 31 



Plants rooted during midsummer from green cuttings may be grown on 

 benches, much in the same way as single-stemmed Chrysanthemums are 

 grown. Before the approach of cool weather- all the plants should be 

 removed indoors, as they will lose their leaves on being subjected to 

 low temperatures. The wilting of the flowers of Poinsettias, or rather 

 of the gaudy colored bracts which surround the flowers, is due to the 

 milky sap secreted from the cut part. This hardens to a greater or less 

 extent, and clogs up the vessels through which the water should ascend 

 to keep the flowers and foliage fresh. A good way to circumvent this 

 is as follows: Some little time after the stems have been cut and a 

 goodly quantity of the milky sap has run out, cut off a small piece from 

 the end of the stem and stand the cut ends in warm water for a few 

 minutes. This will leave the cut part free to absorb all the water neces- 

 sary for their support. Blooms which have been drooping for a consid- 

 erable time may be revived in the same way. 



Euphorbia Elegans (better known as E. jacquinia^flora) is less 

 easy to manage than the Poinsettia. A start should be made with soft 

 cuttings, with a heel or piece of the old wood attached. They should 

 be put in the open propagating bed instead of a frame, as their leaves 

 are very liable to decay, owing to the dampness. Place in 2-inch pots 

 and gradually shift on, keeping the plants in the full sun. Too much 

 water at the root should be guarded against. After midsummer the 

 plants may be plunged in an open frame to ripen their growth, and 

 removed indoors before the weather shows signs of getting cool. 



EURYA LATIFOLIA VARIEQATA— Put in cuttings of this about the 

 same time as given for Azaleas. It is a plant very useful for decorating 

 and one which we see too little of. Give the same treatment in Summer 

 as recommended for Araucarias. 



EXACUM AFFINE is the name of a compact bushy Gentian-wort, 

 which gives a. very good account of itself for Winter flowering in a mod- 

 erately warm house. Theflowers are bluish purple with yellow stamens 

 protuding from the center of the flower. It doesn't have the provoking 

 habit of some of the Gentians in closing its flowers during the latter 

 part of the day. Seed sown beginning of July will make fine plants by 

 the Fall. As soon as the seedlings are large enough they may be plunged 

 in a frame, where they will- need but little attention, as they do not suffer 

 from an occasional drying out. 



FICUS ELASTICA is one of the most popular house plants, and one of 

 the most suitable for this purpose. The leaves are large and leathery 

 and not easily hurt through occasional neglect. Complaints are some- 

 times made of plants losing their lower leaves; in old plants this is 

 natural, as evergreen plants have their season of leaf shedding. Young 

 plants will lose leaves through insufficient or too much moisture or lack 

 of nourishment. 



Mossing Out-of-Doors— Between old stocks of rubbers planted outside 

 and those kept in pots there is quite a difference in the quality of growth. 

 Those given unlimited root room in the open lot have a somewhat suc- 

 culent growth, with the leaves far apart, and altogether not in the best 



