ii8 PLANT CULTURE 



Culture. Plants rooted during mid-Summer 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 fohage 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 necessary for their 

 support. Blooms which have been drooping for a considerable time 

 may be revived in the same way. When the pots in which they 

 are to bloom get full of roots clear liquid manure may be given with 

 good effect. The pots ofE. pulckerrima should be thoroughly rested 

 after blooming by placing the pots on their sides and letting them 

 get dry. E. ftdgens should never be allowed to become completely 

 dormant. 



Propagation. The kinds are propagated in two ways, from 

 dormant wood and from green cuttings. In employing the former 

 method the old plants, after the flowers have been cut, or in the case 

 of pot plants, after the flowers have decayed, the stems should be 

 allowed to ripen thoroughly, by gradually withholding water and 

 subsequently placing them beneath the stage of a warm house; 

 while there they should be kept free from moisture at the roots. 

 During March the canes which can be spared should be taken off 

 and cut into lengths of about 4 inches. After the milky sap has 

 stopped exuding from the lower part of the cuttings, they should be 

 washed in warm water and dipped in powdered charcoal previous to 

 being placed in the warm propagating bed. While rooting the sand 

 should be kept on the dry side, only giving enough water so that the 

 roots will obtain sufficient nourishment. Instead of being allowed 

 to make long, spindHng roots in the sand they should be potted in 

 thumb pots immediately the roots appear. Put a small quantity of 

 rough screenings in the bottom of each pot, and have the soil (loam 

 and sand in equal parts is best) in a fairly moist condition, so that 

 a very slight sprinkUng throxigh a fine rose will suffice for the first 

 few days. 



