POINSETTIA  . The Poinsettia pulcherrima of gardens (

Euphorbia pulcherrima of botanists), a native of Mexico and Central America, with its brilliant scarlet bracts, stands unrivalled amongst decorative plants . The white-bracted sort, var. alba, is not so effective, but the double-flowered, var. plenissima, in which the brilliant inflorescence is branched, is as brilliant as the type, and keeps long in flower . They are increased by cuttings in spring, which when taken off with a heel strike freely in brisk heat . They require good turfy loam, with an addition of one-sixth of leaf-mould and a little sand, and should be kept in a heat of from 65° to 70° at night, with a rise of 10 by day . To prevent their growing lanky, they should be kept with their heads almost touching the glass; and as the pots get filled with roots they must be shifted into others, 7 or 8 in. in diameter . About August they may be inured to a heat of 50° at night, and should be brought to bear air night and day whilst the weather is warm, or they may be placed out of doors for a month under a south wall in the full sun . This treatment matures and pre-pares them for flowering . In autumn they must be removed to a house where the temperature is 50° at night, and by the end of September some of them may be put in the stove, where they will come into flower, the remainder being placed under heat later for succession . When in bloom they may be kept at about 55° by night, and sb placed will last longer than if kept in a higher temperature .