658 



THE BOOK OF GARDENI^Xx. 



PiLEA MUSCOSA (Artillery Plant). — Its pretty habit and easy 

 culture, and the peculiar way in which the pollen is shot forth 

 when a fine spray of moisture is applied during the flowering 

 period, render this plant a general favourite, although the 

 individual flowers can lay no claim to great beauty. It is 

 readily propagated from cuttings, and grows freely in equal parts 

 loam, peat, leaf-mould, and sand, with good drainage. It is a 

 native of the West Indies. We have seen it planted in broken 

 coke along the margin of stages, where, being well supplied 

 with water, it thrives, makes a pretty edging, and does not 

 encourage insects. 



Plumbago rosea. — A small shrub from the East Indies, with 

 oblong obtuse leaves and rosy-red flowers in loose spikes. It 

 requires plenty of water when growing, and cutting back after 

 flowering. Soil : loam, peat, leaf-mould, and sand. Propagate by 

 cuttings. The variety cocci?iea siiperba has brighter, deeper- 

 coloured flowers. 



PoiNSETTiA {Euphorbia) pulcherrima is a striking plant 

 when well grown ; it is a native of Mexico. To obtain sturdy 

 dwarf plants, propagate from cuttings each year. Place the 

 old plants in heat in batches (the first about the beginning of 

 June), and, as the young shoots grow, cut them off with a heel 

 of the old wood and insert singly in small pots. When the 

 cuttings are rooted, grow on liberally, keeping them in a light 

 position near the glass to induce a sturdy growth and preserve 

 the growing point intact, as the flowers and bright crimson bracts 

 are produced at the extremities. i\void cold draughts. Four 

 parts turfy loam, one part decayed cow-dung, one part leaf- 

 mould, and half a part of sand form a suitable compost. Water 

 with clear weak manure-water when the bracts begin to appear, 

 and after flowering keep the plants quite dry. F. p. alba has 

 whitish bracts, but is not much grown. P. p. plenissima has 

 brilliant scarlet bracts in clusters, giving them an appearance of 

 being double. P. p. major is superior to the type, producing 

 larger bracts, and is now largely grown for market. 



PosoQUERiA. — Evergreen shrubs from South America, with 

 corymbs of long, tubular white flowers, valuable for bouquets and 

 decorative purposes. They succeed under the treatment recom- 

 mended for Gardenias. P. longifiora and P. miiltiflora (Fig. 427) 

 are both profuse-flowering species. 



Reinwardtia tetragyne.- — -A handsome small shrub from the 

 mountainous region of India, and much like R. trigyna (better 

 known under its garden name, Liniwi trigynuni)^ with flowers of a 

 deeper yellow, produced in great profusion, which keep up an 

 uninterrupted display for several weeks during the dull winter 

 months. It may be readily increased by cuttings, and grows 

 freely in peat, loam, and leaf-mould in equal proportions, with a 



