130 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants 



CROWEA. 



and scale both affect them ; these can be 

 destroyed by dipping in or syringing with 

 a strong solution of insecticide. 



CROWEA. 



These belong to a limited family of ever- 

 green greenhouse plants, introduced from 

 New South Wales, that are of comparatively 

 small, bushy habit of growth, producing 

 their lively dark pink star-shaped flowers, 

 for two or three months in succession 

 through the autumn, at a time when 

 greenhouse-flowering subjects are few. 

 Croweas have many things to recommend 

 them to the geneial cultivator, not the 

 least of which is their easy growth and 

 adaptability for decorative purposes, espe- 

 cially for the conservatory, where by I'egu- 

 lating the time that they commence grow- 

 ing a succession of the plants may be had 

 so as to have some in flower from the com- 

 mencement of August, to be succeeded by 

 others that will keep on until after the 

 close of the year. They will also bear, 

 whilst in bloom, placing in a confined 

 situation in conservatories or similar places 

 much better than most hardwooded sub- 

 jects ; they likemse have the property of 

 flowering freely in a very small state. 

 Plants the first year grown from the usual 

 nursery-sized stock will just bloom as 

 plentifully in proportion to their size as 

 when older. When they get large and ai'e 

 well-managed, they are useful for exhibi- 

 tion, if required for this purpose, the nature 

 of the flowers being such that they A\-ill 

 bear a deal of knocking about without 

 being bruised or disfigured. They make 

 moderately strong roots, that are not at 

 all delicate or liable to injury from 

 causes that would result in the death of 

 more tender things ; yet they do not form 

 them in such large quantities as to need so 

 much pot-room as many plants. AU the 

 kinds will grow in loam, and in it, when 

 of a good description, the colour of the 

 flowers is often a little higher ; but in peat 

 they generally make quicker progress, and 

 where the latter can be had of a fair 

 character, we should recommend it in pre- 

 ference to loam, using about one sixth or 

 seventh of clean sharp sand intermixed. 



Although the Croweas do not require 

 anything above a cool greenhouse tempera- 

 ture to grow them, they are amongst a 

 certain number of plants that will bear and 

 make much more progress by having 

 their growing season lengthened through 

 being started in a little warmth in the 

 vvinter. Their time of flowering can also 

 be regulated by this. Plants that are thus 

 started into growth in slight heat in 



February will bloom early in August if 

 required, to be succeeded by others, the 

 growth of which commenced with the 

 advance of the season. Where there is the 

 means of submitting them to a temperature 

 of 50° in the night, with a rise of 8° or 10° 

 by day, about February, we should advise 

 the young stock to be so started at that 

 time. 



Croweas strike readily from cuttings 

 which should be procured about April from 

 plants that have started in an intermediate 

 temperature in February ; put them several 

 together in 5 or 6 inch pots in sand, sub- 

 jecting them now to an ordinary stove 

 temperature, with shade and a moist, con- 

 fined atmosphere ; here they will root in 

 six or eight weeks, when give more air and 

 light. As soon as they are fully rooted move 

 sirrgly to small pots, stopping the i:)oints 

 and continuing the warm, moderately close 

 treatment through the summer and autumn, 

 keeping on in the vAdnter in a night tem- 

 perature of about 50°. In Llarch the 

 young plants should have made enough 

 progress to admit of their being moved 

 into 4 or 5 inch pots, stopping each shoot ; 

 through the spring and summer give a 

 little more warmth than usual for the 

 generality of greenhouse plants, standing 

 them on a moist bottom, with plenty of 

 light and a little shade in very bright 

 weather, giving a dash with the syringe 

 every afternoon. Winter as before, and 

 aboirt the commencement of the year cirt 

 in the whole of the preceding summer's 

 growth, leaving the shoots about 6 inches 

 long from the point where they were 

 shortened to the previous season ; tie them 

 out in a horizontal position, and about the 

 time and in the temperature above advised 

 place them where they will receive a fair 

 amount of light, slrghtly damping them 

 overhead with the syringe once a day ; 

 here they will soon commence growth aird 

 be in a condition for potting. They will 

 require a 2-inch shift, with a fair quantity 

 of drainage, using the soil in a moderately 

 lumpy state, and pressing it solid in the 

 pots. Replace the plants in a similar 

 temperature to that they have been in, and 

 here let them remain until the beginning 

 of May, when there will be enough solar 

 heat to keep them on growing without the 

 assistance of fire ; after this, they will do 

 along with other ordinary hardwooded 

 stock, requiring like treatment through 

 the summer as to air, syringing overhead, 

 and closing the house or pit they occupy 

 with the sun upon it in the afternoon. 

 They will not need any stopping of the 

 shoots, except such as happen to grow 

 considerably stronger than the rest. The 



