The Garden Under Glass

96 THE GARDEN UNDER GLASS shaded. These precautions are necessary to prevent the sap from flowing away, and as far as possible to prevent flagging. After they have rooted there is no great trouble with poinsettias beyond keeping them dwarf. They have a tendency to become drawn, and this must be guarded against by keeping them up close to the glass and working them into cooler quarters as soon as they seem somewhat established. Never should they be allowed to suffer from want of water, or they will surely lose their leaves. Six-inch pots should be large enough for good plants bearing bracts twelve to fif teen inches across. For be it noted, it is not the flower itself but the beautifully coloured leaves surrounding it which forms the beauty of the plant. A soil made open with morfar rubble and rich with cow manure will give sufficient nutriment until the plants are root-bound, when cow manure will form the finest liquid stimulant. Propagation may take place any time from May to July, the earlier month being preferable. If intended to be grown for a second year the plants should be pruned about the end of April to within a couple of eyes of the base af ter being kept dry from the time of the fading of the flowers. Poinsettias can be used as cut flowers if the end when cut is immediately seared with a hot iron to prevent the escape ofsap. Primula Obconica Although this plant flowers almost perpetually, it is banned by many on account of the poisonous attribute of its leaves. The mere touch of them will set up an irritation in many skins, though personally I have always been able to handle them with impunity. Apart from this I consider P. obconica a splendid plant for the amateur. It can be grown from division as well as from seeds.