April 38,1887. ] 
JOURNAL of horticulture axd cottage gardener. 
3 J7 
liferous states of this species, in which instead of the column there ap¬ 
peared two branches with distorted flowers. It was received from M. 
Linden, who had previously noticed how certain monstrosities had be¬ 
come fixed, as in the present instance, which h i-.l now become proli¬ 
ferous for four years. 
N. incomparabi'i*, lu/bx. —Mr. E. Osborne sent specimens which he 
regarded as hybrids. They were exhibited at the N. Committee, but 
seemed to be generally regarded as varieties of Ineomparabilis. 
Tulipa lanosa, jtefe'. (?). —Mr. Elwes sent a scarlet Tulip from 
Turkestan. It was sent to Mr. Baker for identification. 
Snrraoenui.hybx.—A fine series of flowers was received from Air. 
Moore, from the Botanic Gardens, Glasrievin, consisting of the following 
sorts S. flava, S. flava x rubra,- S. Moorci, or S. purpurea x Drum- 
mondi, S. Stevens!, S. William si or S. purpurea x flava, S. Patersoni, S. 
Atkiusoui, 8. Mitcliodliana or S. Drummondi x purpurea, S. Chelsoni x 
Drummoudi. A vote of thanks was given to Mr. Moore for the col¬ 
lection. 
THE CULTURE OF THE POINSETTIA. 
[A paper reid at a recent meeting of the Bradford Girdeners’ Improvement 
• Society by Mr. E. Cain, gardener to A. Ackroyd, Esq., Manningham.] 
The Poinsettia is one of the most useful plants to grow for 
dinner-table decoration during Christmas time and the winter 
months, and is very attractive when mixed with groups of foliage 
plants in the entrance hall, as its bracts are most beautiful 
when seen by gaslight. I only know two varieties of this plant, 
Poinsettia pulcherrima and Poinsettia pulcherrima albx. The floral 
heads of these plants are very valuable when cut, as they last a 
long time in water, also for table decoration, with plenty of Maiden¬ 
hair Ferns to relieve their dazzling brightness. They are sometimes 
employed by ladies to adorn their hair and trim their ball dresses 
with. 
This plant belongs to a poisonous race, and to prove this I will 
read an extract from an old Journal of Hu. ticullure: —“ As a 
warning to gardeners, I think it my duty to inform you of an 
accident to Mr. Buck, my gardener, on the 8th of this month. As 
he was pruning a plant of Poinsettia ho cut his thumb, but took no 
notice of it at the time, so slight was the cut. On the Thursday 
following, however, he felt an unpleasant pricking sensation in the 
thumb, and this soon extended up the arm. On the Friday he felt 
great numbness in his right arm and leg, and upon consulting a 
medical man he found that the poisonous juice of the plant produced 
these painful sensations. His leg was so benumbed as to be useless, 
but after several applications of fomentations and other remedies 
prescribed, the baneful elfects subsided, only leaving a few spots 
upon the lower part of his thumb similar to those of small pox. 
I consider the above of sufficient importance to be kept in remem¬ 
brance.— Oswald Mosley, Bart., Rolleston Hall." 
I will now give a description of my mode of cultivating the 
Poinsettia. We will suppose that we are in the month of April, 
and the plants have had six weeks’ rest in a dry state. Cut them 
down to the last eye, shake them out of the old soil, and repot 
in smaller pots, using soil consisting of two parts good loam, one 
part leaf mould or old mushroom dung, with a small portion of 
charcoal and sand to make it light. If the loam is heavy, a third 
of sandy peat will be necessary. The whole should be passed 
through a half-inch sieve, and thoroughly mixed before being used. 
The pots must be clean and dry. Let them be well crocked, not a 
few pieces of broken pot thrown in at random. Let the first piece 
cover the hole at the bottom in such a manner that no worm can find 
a passage into the soil. Over this should be placed two or three 
other large piece*, finishing with smaller ones. Over these sprinkle 
a layer of sphagnum moss, and then place the plant in, filling up 
with the soil. Place the plants in any house or pit where the heat 
ranges from 50° to GO 1 . They should not be watered for a fort¬ 
night, but be sprinkled once a day with a syringe or fine watering 
can. When they have commenced growing they must have plenty 
of light and air, and be placed as near the glass as possible. For 
the next three months, May, June, and July, the chief points to be 
observed, are—to see that your plants do not suffer from want of 
water, and to have abundance of air admitted on all favourable 
occasions. This will cause them to make stout and firm short- 
pointed wood. I do not advocate feeding the plants with liquids 
to obtain extra strong wood, as I believe as good heads are secured 
from wood of medium size, provided it is firm. 
About July 20th I make up a hotbed, about 2 feet G inches in 
thickness, of any heating material that is to hand, such as grass 
from the lawn, old Pea stalks, refuse from old Strawberry beds, 
with a part stable manure mixed with it. These are all thrown 
together and trodden firmly as the work proceeds. If the manure 
is very dry, which at this season is often the case, I give it a few 
cans of water as it is being mixed. This helps it to heat more 
strongly and quickly. The bed is then ready for the frame to be 
placed on it. The size of the frame must have been decided before 
commencing to build the bed. The frame is placed facing the 
south, having a steep pitch. I then put from 4 to G inches of 
partly spent manure inside the frame to keep down any rank steam. 
It helps alio to bring the cuttings nearer the glass. Having inserted 
a trial stick, place on the lights, leaving a few inches open at the 
top to allow the steam to escape. In about a week or ten days the 
place will be ready to receive the cuttings. 
The last few days of July or the 1st of August is the best time 
to insert the cuttings. I then mix my soil as before, only adding 
more sind to the mixture. This is passed through a finer sieve 
than the soil for the old plants. The roughest that will not pass 
through the sieve is placed on one side at the bottom of the cutting 
pots. I thon select as many thumb pots as I intend to insert, 
cuttings. Having placed one crock over the hole, with a few- 
smaller ones above it, some of the roughest soil is placed on the 
crocks. These all being in readiness, I select three or four pieces, 
of charcoal, break them into a powder, and place it in a small 
flower pot. With a sharp knife I cut the plants down to the last 
two eyes, gather the prunings, and take them to the potting bench,, 
then first take off the tops about the fourth leaf, cut off the bottom 
leaf, and immediately dip the cut end into the charcoal dust. This, 
stops the bleeding, and helps to keep the cuttings from flagging, 
which must not be allowed from the time the cutting is taken until 
it is well rooted. When the cuttings are ready to be inserted I fill 
each pot with soil, and with the middle finger or stout stick make a. 
hole in the middle of the pot, fill this with sand, and then insert a, 
cutting in the sand, so that it is surrounded with sand. Press down 
the soil and sand quite firm, and as soon as the work is done give 
it a good soaking with water, allowing them to drain before taking- 
them to the frame. Plunge them up to the rim of the pots if the 
heat is not too great. If desired, the remainder of the rods can be- 
cut up into cuttings and treated the same as the leading shoot. 
They will strike as freely, but will not give quite as fine heads. 
The frame in which the cuttings are placed must be kept closed 
and well shaded until they have formed roots. Do not fear damp¬ 
ing, as they delight in plenty of steam and moisture. The Poin¬ 
settia likes plenty of ammonia in the atmosphere in which it is- 
growing. In about ten days or a fortnight they will be rooted. 
The shade should now be gradually discontinued, and air admitted, 
on favourable days. In about three weeks these small pots will be 
full of roots. The plants I want to flower in pots are placed into- 
G-inch or 7-inch pots. Those wanted for filling baskets are left in. 
the small pots until they are wanted. These little plants stuck in 
and around the sides of baskets, intermixed with one of the light - 
flowered draping Begonias, make objects fit for a princess to look 
upon in the dark days of winter. These newly potted plants L 
return to the frame, after it has been well forked over, and a little 
fresh hot manure to give the plants a fresh start. Keep the frame 
closed for three or four days, but ventilate a little at night. In a 
few days the plants will have rooted in the new soil. They should 
then have plenty of air to cause the plants to keep dwarf. 
I allow the plants to remain in the frame till the end of 
September or beginning of October if there is still a little bottom, 
heat. If the heat is gone, the plants must be taken to their winter 
quarters by the middle of September, because the roots are very 
apt to perish with cold if left too long in the frame. Place them, 
where they are intended to flower. A number of my plants are 
placed upon shelves as near the glass as is convenient at this time 
of the year, the others are given the lightest place in the house. 
The temperature of the house should range about GO’ to G5° by 
night to 70’ to 75° by day, with plenty of air in favourable weather. 
I give them weak liquid manure twice a week from the time they 
are taken into the house until the flowers are fully expanded. I 
also give them plenty of ammonia in the atmosphere by sprinkling- 
manure water amongst the pots and on the floor of the house night- 
and morning. The majority of stove plants like this ammonia in 
the atmosphere. Keep a sharp look out for insects on any plants 
that are at rest. I find this plant to be very sensitive to strong; 
liquid manures, aad to over-.abundance of water, especially in the 
-winter months. It will cause the leaves to turn yellow. The old 
plants which were cut down in August, if wantei, can be shifted 
into a size larger pot. Just after they have broken insert them in 
a little heat at first to receive the same treatment afterwards as the 
young plants. They will flower almost as well, only a little later. 
Of fifty cuttings inserted l:ist August, forty-nine rooted and forty- 
seven produced flowers, measuring from 9 inches to 15 inches across, 
with the plants from 9 to 20 inches in height, the majority of them 
being as broad as high, with all their foliage on until in full bloom. 
The house in which the plants are in flower should now be kept a. 
little lower in temperature, also drier in the atmosphere. It will 
help to keep the bracts longer in perfection, which will be from six 
to ten weeks, according to circumstances. When they are past their 
best they are gradually dried, then taken to a cool house, the pots 
laid on their sides, there to remain until the time to start, them 
again has arrived. 
