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Show '(Jour jfoin5ellia Iflexl Christmas THE POINSETTIA has long been a popular Christmas plant but probably few people have gWen much thought to the fact that it d'-.os come into bloom each year only ."1 this season.- - The poinsettia is one of a group ol plants known as short day plants be cause It will bloom only in the season sea-son of the year with short day length periods, preferably 10 hours or less That is why it is always in bloom during the Christmas season and not during the summer. It could be prevented pre-vented from blooming now by lengthening the daylight period to 15 hours by means of artifical lights. Flower growers have learned how to bring garden chrysanthemums into bloom any month of the .roar by using shading cloth to s.W;c;i the days and artificial lighw to lengthen the days. The chrysanthemum chrysan-themum is also a short day pl-it. How can one keep a poinsittia plant until next season? After its usefulness is over, place it in the basement or some dry place where it will not freeze. Do not water it, or at least very little, and let the soil dry up. Next May bring the plant out, cut the stem back about two thirds, wash the old soil off the roots and re-pot in new soil. From then on handle it like any other pot plant. Softwood cuttings taken in July and rooted will give you good Christmas bloom. |