HORTICULTURE 



December 9, 1905 



Choice Crotons 



The value of crotons as perennial decorative plants 

 cannot be denied and a wider experience of their great 

 variety, beauty and utility serves but to increase one's 

 admiration. We have a choice of fine colors unequalled 

 in any class. A large house full of these rich colors is 

 perhaps too gorgeous to maintain one's continued inter- 

 est, but it is in groupings relieved by greener and less 

 intense tints that their value is appreciated, giving life 

 and cliaracter to the whole and satisfying the keenest 

 artistic sense. This fact should be borne in mind in 

 groupings for exhibition purposes; every plant should 

 stand well up, foiled by other subjects. In their grow- 

 ing quarters the value of having them together is obvious 

 and where a whole house may be devoted to them it is 

 a great advantage. 



A few hints on cultural lines may be helpful. To 

 begin with a house due north and south is necessary if 

 the maximum of light is to be gained; plants should 

 be arranged well up to the glass, care being taken that 

 varieties that do not color freely be not overshadowed. 

 The question of shade is a debatable one, but my experi- 

 ence is that thin roller blinds used at midday for a 

 couple of hours on very hot days is helpful; one can 

 syringe them without fear of scorching or molding; 

 further, blinds may be let down on windy or frosty 

 nights. 



The question of temperature is important. In grow- 

 ing season it may run up to 110 degrees with impunity 

 with a night drop to not less than 75, but it is in winter 

 that the tendency is to overdo the heating. Crotons will 

 stand much less than is usually given. If they are kept 

 on the dry side with a temperature of even 50 to 55 they 

 will not suffer but greatly benefit. They need a partial 

 rest, and the fierce heat usually given, coupled with ex- 

 tra moisture, tends to immature growth and deformed 

 foliage, spoiling that symmetry which is so essential. 

 I have tried the above plan and when spring arrived the 

 plants not being exhausted have burst forth with vigor- 

 ous heads of clean foliage. A rich soil is essential ; the 

 old theory that barrenness produces variegation may be 

 true with regard to sports, but given color, it needs to 

 be developed by rich feeding if large, well-colored foli- 

 age is to be obtained. There is nothing better than 

 old, well-dried night soil for bringing out color, using a 

 sprinkling in potting soil. If ideal table or specimen 

 plants are desired, the very best selected cuttings only 

 should be used. Tops with not too much color are best. 

 A good basis of green pigment is necessary if strong, 

 healthy plants are to be gained; there is less danger 

 of leaves dropping off also during the rooting process. 

 Large tops should bo ringed and mossed. The fall is 

 the best season to strike cuttings; these make service- 

 able stock for table the following year. A few of the 

 more highly colored varieties as, for example, Golden 

 King, Aigburth Gem, etc., being usually weaker in con- 

 stitution, are better grafted on stronger stock. 



One need hardly emphasize the need of perfect clean- 

 liness if crotons are to appear at their best. Red spider, 

 thrips and scales are their natural enemies. A cooler 

 temperature in winter for established plants coupled 



with a constant use of the syringe in summer will do 

 much to keep these down, but always a sponge over with 

 Fir Tree oil brightens them up for exhibition or table. 



The facility with which crotons can be bred by cross- 

 fertilization has produced of late an innumerable crop 

 of varieties, but one may perhaps mention a few really 

 good things as types. In the broad-leaved section 

 Flamingo, Reidii, Delightful, Sunbeam, Queen Victoria 

 Superba, Challenger are a choice half dozen. In droop- 

 ing and fine leaved varieties. Prince of Wales, Her 

 Majesty, Aigburthensis, Warrenii, Sinitzinianus and the 

 old Chelsonii are admirable for table. As sub-tropical 

 plants the commoner varieties may serve as bedders to 

 lighten up with color some dull part of the garden, but 

 suggestions for a more general use of crotons for service 

 and profit will present themselves and a hint to the wise 

 is sufficient. 



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Hints on Boilers and Heating 



The arrangement of pipes through a greenhouse 

 should be given careful consideration, in order to dis- 

 tribute and control the heat properly. All conditions 

 being favorable the gravity system with flow and return 

 pipes placed under the benches will give the best results 

 in a low pressure hot water apparatus. In houses 18 

 feet wide or over and 30 feet long or more the pipes 

 should be placed under the side and center benches, and 

 across the ends of houses. In narrower or shorter houses 

 pipes under side benches and across the ends will an- 

 swer in most cases. In houses where walks are located 

 around the sides and ends next to the vertical walls, 

 place the pipes under benches, also on the walls; where 

 solid beds are used place pipes on the sides of the walks. 

 All pipes under benches should rest on masonry piers, ex- 

 tending to solid earth, and projecting not less than three 

 inches above ground. Pipes on walls of house should 

 be hung on the posts supporting the structure, on solid 

 beds ; hang them on the sides of the beds, if constructed 

 of masonry; if the sides of beds are wood, rest the 

 pipes on piers. 



It has been practically demonstrated by commercial 

 florists and enlightened private gardeners that for large 

 ranges of glass especially two inch diameter wrought 

 iron pipe gives the best results in a hot water appar- 

 atus, pipes of less diameter cause more friction, and 

 cool off too quickly when fire burns low. The use of 

 four inch external diameter cast iron pipes and three 

 inch boiler tubes has been almost abandoned in com- 

 mercial establishments, for the reason that the tem- 

 perature cannot be regulated quickly, there being such 

 a large volume of water to cool off and to heat, also the 

 difficulty in making repairs or extensions on account of 

 caulked joints which are commonly used. In small 

 ranges on private places cast iron pipe is still used, 

 and advocated by many gardeners, for as a rule fires 

 have to be left from 8 to 12 hours without attention, 

 and the large volume of water in the pipes when once 

 heated will maintain the temperature longer when the 

 firn burns low than whore smaller pipe is used. 



