GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY PLANTS 117 



to slide into place. Old plants which have been bedded out for the 

 Summer will winter all right beneath a bench, in a cold house, with 

 some soil thrown over the roots. 



Propagation. By the beginning of February start some of the 

 old plants oiE. Crista-galli, or any of its forms; they are far the best 

 for Summer work. If not in pots the old stumps may simply be 

 covered over at the roots with moss and given a minimum tem- 

 perature of ss degrees. Syringe occasionally to encourage growths 

 for cuttings. As soon as these growths are in the neighborhood of 

 4 inches in length take them off with a heel, put in 2-inch pots, using 

 a sandy mixture, and keep them confined in a warm propagating 

 case until they root; shift into larger pots and gradually harden off. 



EUPATORIUM. A white species, Eupatorium probum, of this 

 popular Winter flowering genus may be grown to come in after the 

 well-known Stevia serrata goes out of flower. The flower heads are 

 as large as those of S. elegans. The only drawback to its use as a cut 

 flower is the clammy or viscid nature of the stems and leaves. The 

 plant is said to be a native of Peru; it was introduced nearly forty 

 years ago, but has never become popular, supposedly from its being 

 confined to European gardens ever since. Two desirable Winter 

 bloomers with dark lilac or purple flowers are known as E. ianthinum 

 and E. macrophyllum. They are of little service for cutting. 

 Plant out in late Spring after they are done flowering. This will 

 give good material for cuttings in September. E. macrophyllum is 

 the stronger of the two. 



Culture. Give same treatment as for Piqueria (Stevia). 



Propagation. Cuttings grown on in a warm, sunny house will 

 fill 5-inch pots by the first of March, and have very large panicles 

 of flowers. 



EUPHORBIA (Poinsettia). Poinsettias are grown not on ac- 

 count of the flowers, which are small and inconspicuous, but for the 

 highly colored bracts which surround them. The flowers are pro- 

 duced in mid- Winter. Both for cutting and as pot plants Poinsettias 

 are highly popular. There are four kinds of Poinsettias in cultiva- 

 tion — E. pulcherrima, which is most commonly grown; £. p. plenis- 

 sima, having a larger number of bracts; E. p. alba, with creamy 

 white bracts, and a pink sort. Several other Euphorbias are grown 

 in greenhouses, na.nie\y,E. Jul gens (jacquinitzflora) , a small-flowered, 

 brilliant scarlet form;£. splendens, The Crown of Thorns, a cacta- 

 ceous appearing plant; and a number of other sorts grown for odd- 

 ity rather than beauty. 



