438 
THE GARDENERS' CHROMCLE OF AMERICA 
THE POINSETTIA (THE CHRISTMAS 
FLOWER) 
'TPilK comparatively simple culture ui the poiusettia 
adds to its popularity. The plants require a long- 
period of rest, being dried off for a period of 
10-12 weeks. The old plants after flowering in January 
are placed on their sides in a temperature of 45-.^0^ 1^. 
and kept in a dormant condition until April or May. At 
this time they are shaken out of their old pots and re- 
potted into new rich soil. The plants are then cut back 
to sound wood and placed upon a sunny bench at a tem- 
perature of 60° ¥. Aided by frequent syringing the 
buds soon start at the top, and in 4 or .5 weeks the first 
crop of cuttings may be taken. W'hen this has been ac- 
complished the stock plants should be plunged outdoors, 
as the cuttings made from outdoor growth make better 
plants. The last cuttings should not be taken later than 
August, these forming satisfactory plants in small pans 
for table decoration at Christmas. 
The most common way of taking cuttings is to cut oft' 
a shoot 4-5 inches in length, with a heel of the older 
wood, care being taken to leave at least one bud at the 
base which will break and produce other cuttings. Some 
growers think that the cuttings root more readily and 
the milky juice is not wasted to such a large extent if at 
first the shoots are cut only half-way through and a day 
or two later severed from the parent plant. .\s the 
cuttings go into sand after the bottom heat is reduced, 
they must be well shaded and kept moist, especially upon 
hot days. By this method they will root in about 3 
weeks. Sometimes the cuttings are potted singly in 
23^-inch pots of sand with a little sphagnum moss at the 
bottom for the roots to grip. These pots should be 
placed in a tight case, shaded, and kept at a temperature 
of 65° F. As soon as rooted the cuttings are potted into 
33/2-inch pots, using a mixture of equal parts of loam, 
leaf mold, and sand. For the first few daxs until the 
plants become established they should be shaded and 
kept moist by frequent syringing, .\fter that, full sun- 
light and plenty of fresh air are required. In general, 
the temperature should never go below 50° F. at night, 
and as soon as plants begin to show color it should be 
raised to 60-70° F. When the bracts and flowers have 
developed properly the temperature should be decreased 
gradually to harden the plants oft' and thus increase their 
lasting qualities. For the final potting the plants are 
shifted from SjS-inch to 6-inch pots, using a mixture of 
3 parts good loam and 1 part cow- manure or % sheep 
manure. The young plants should be fed with liquid 
manure once a week until the flowers appear. In the 
event of their becoming too tall during the summer 
months the stems are ringed within 6-7 inches of the 
top about the end of August. They should be cut half- 
way through at first and left for a couple of weeks until 
a callus is formed. The shoots may then be severed, 
potted into 3-inch pots in a mixture of sand and loam, 
and kept in a close case until well rooted. The subse- 
quent treatment is the same as that previously described 
for cuttings. 
Often much of the beauty of the poinsettia is lost bv 
allowing the handsome green foliage to become vellow 
and droo]5ing. This state may be caused by too low a 
temperature, drought, starvation at the roots — either 
because of poor soi' or lack of root room, — or disturb- 
ance of the roots by late ]50tting. This last is one of the 
commonest troubles, as the plants cannot endure to have 
their roots disturbed when near the flowering period. 
Due to the acrid milky juice contained in the plants, 
insect pests are comparatively few. The mealy bug and 
the green fly may be eradicated by syringing and tobacco 
fumigation. The white fly 
use of hvdrocvanic gas,' 
may be exterminated by the 
THE ART 6f FLORICULTURE 
By W. A. Monard, Texas. 
'TpHK cultivation of plants for the sake of their beautiful 
flowers, and other attractions, has from the earliest 
ages received attention wherever civilization has made 
some jirogress. Floriculture as an art, however, is so 
su.sceptible to irifluence of climate, soil, heat, cold, and 
other conditions, that notwithstanding what it may claim, 
anything like general progress in all lands has been im- 
peded by this very fact. Whatever knowledge might have 
been gained in the art tluring one age in one country, 
when a])]5lied to another, is found to be jiractically useful 
only to the extent in which it finds a state of adaptability 
in the other. Hence it may be said that in each nation 
the practice of floriculture is peculiar and different from 
that of every other nation. 
The cultivation of plants and flowers has only of late 
years received any great degree of attention, and since 
a general manifestation of interest in floriculture by the 
masses of people has been apjjarent. but from a per- 
ceptible awakening about that time has been a continual 
and ra])id increase tuitil now, when we find nearly every- 
body devoting more or less attention to the culture of 
flowers. 
Gardeners, it is our duty to encourage floriculture 
and teach the obstacles which tend to cause failure and 
discouragement and to jirove an interest in every plant 
that is ctiltivated. 
The gardeners, like the new beginners, must expect to 
meet some little diiifictilties atid drawbacks, by impropitious 
weather, or other causes, always attending floriculture 
operations. In these the young gardeners, who have a 
love for the work and its fruits, should find no cause to 
be discouraged. The most skillful gardener has always 
something to learn, and mistakes will be made, but you 
will be wiser for them and the better ijrepared for future 
emergerjcies. .Success, gained at the expense of slight 
failures and inconveniences, will be enjoyed the more for 
them afterwards. After each succeeding season's experi- 
ence you will see the safety of striking out more boldly 
in purchases and plans, and each year will place you 
higlier up that scale of |)erfection to which every culti- 
vator of flowers aspires. 
-COLUMBIA." A beau- 
tiful light pink rose, welt 
ivorthy of its name, and 
ill form equal to that of 
the best varieties pro- 
duced. It is a seedling 
resulting from a cross 
betiveeyi the roses Mrs. 
George S hawy e r and 
Ophelia. Both of these 
varieties are well known 
as leaders among our all- 
the-ycar round roses and 
it is not surprising that 
their offspring should 
have quality. It is a vig- 
orous grower, throwing 
long, stout-stemmed iloiv- 
ers, which bring it into 
the "big rose" class. Its 
color is a clear pink, 
it.'ith center flushed 
deeper. 
