AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



395 



Crop IB continued. 



CHESS, INDIAN. See Tropaolum. 



CRESS ROCKET. See Vella Fseudo-Cytisus. 



CRESS, WATER (Nasturtium ofainale). Water Cress 

 is in great demand at all times, excepting in two or three of 

 the summer months, when the plants are flowering and pro- 

 ducing their seed. It is a hardy perennial and a native 

 of Britain, where it grows in ditches and small streams. 

 The best quality is obtained from shallow streams of running 

 water, free from mud if possible, as the latter spoils the 

 flavour. Propagation is effected by seed, or by division of 



FIG. 643. CRRPIS RUBRA, showing Habit, and Single Flower-head 



/wing Ham 

 turalsize). 



CRESCENTIA (named after Pietro Crescenzi, an 

 Italian writer on agriculture, in the thirteenth century, 

 author of "Opus ruralium commodorum "). OBD. Bigno- 

 niacecB. Large stove evergreen, spreading trees. Flowers 

 solitary, rising from the trunk or branches ; corolla large, 

 Bub-campanulate ; tube short; throat large, ventricose; 

 limb spreading, five-cleft, unequal ; lobes toothed or curled. 

 Leaves alternate, solitary, or in fascicles, simple, entire. 

 They grow well in a mixture of loam, peat, and sand. 

 Bipened cuttings will strike root in sand, under a hand 

 glass in heat. These trees require to be so large before 

 they reach a flowering state, that it is not likely they will 

 ever be much cultivated in this country. All are natives 

 of tropical America. Some of the species described are : 

 aeuminata, cucurbitina, Cujete (Calabash-tree), macro- 

 phylla, and obovata. 



CRESCENTIACE5!. An order now included under 

 Bignoniacece. 



CRESS, AMERICAN or LAND (Barbarea prascox). 

 This much resembles Water Cress in flavour. Sow monthly 

 from March till September, in rows 1ft. apart, and thin to 

 4in. or Gin. from plant to plant. Gather the outer leaves 

 only for use ; and, in winter, transfer some plants to hand- 

 lights, or protect with bracken or dry litter during frost. 

 The leaves may be used for the same purposes as the 

 common Cress. 



CRESS, GARDEN (Lepidium sativum). Very popular 

 salading plants, generally grown (and eaten) with Mustard, 

 both requiring very similar treatment. For small salading 

 the common Cress is largely used, and the seed is cheaper 

 than the other kinds. Boxes, from about 1ft square, and 

 Sin. deep, are most useful for growing it in winter. They 

 should be filled to within iin. of the top with friable soil, 

 and the seed sown rather thickly, without covering them 

 with soil The boxes should be covered with panes of 

 glass and placed, after watering, in a warm house ; in 

 from ten to fourteen days, the salad will be fit foruse. A 

 succession may be kept up by frequent sowings. Cres 

 be {frown out of doors in summer, either in boxes or sown 

 in a cool place. It should be kept free from soil on the 

 top, or it is difficult to have it without being gritty. 



Sorts. Plain or common, the sort used when only the 

 seed leaves are formed; Curled, this is a hardy sort, and, 

 if allowed to grow, the leaves may be used f or garmMir 

 as well as salad ; Golden or Australian, a dwarf yellowish 

 form, grown the same way as the preceding, but not t 

 for use so early as common Cress, 



FIG. 544. WATER CRESS (NASTURTIUM OPFICI.XALB). 



the plants. Water Cress (see Fig. 544) may be cultivated 

 in soil if a suitable place cannot be obtained to grow it in 

 water, but the produce is inferior. If required to be grown 

 in the ground, a shady, cool position should be chosen, and 

 the seed sown in spring, in shallow drills, thinning the 

 plants to Gin. when large enough. The soil must be kept 

 constantly moist by watering. In autumn, some plants 

 may be placed in pans, and transferred to a warm house 

 to keep up a supply during winter. The advantages are 

 many if a shallow stream can be obtained. Well-rooted 

 young specimens should be selected ; and, when established, 

 the more the tops are gathered, the better, as the plants 

 are thereby induced to produce more. The motion of 

 the water prevents its freezing in winter, consequently 

 the Cress may be gathered at any time. Special shallow 

 ponds with appliances for drawing all the water off when 

 required, are the best means of cultivation; but such 

 a system cannot, in the majority of cases, be followed. 

 There are two or three forms of Water Cress ; but there 

 is not much difference in flavour when grown under the 

 same conditions. The large Brown-leaved is tiie one meet 

 preferred in the market, but the Green-leaved is said to 

 be of the easiest culture. 



CREST. Applied to the raised regular or irregular 

 appendage terminating any particular organ. 



CRIBROSE. Pierced with holes, like a sieve. 



CRICKETS. A group of insects, comprising House 

 Crickets (Achtta domestica, see Fig. 545), Field Crickets 



FIG. 545. Hoes* CRICKET (GRYLLUS DOKESTICL-S). 

 (Achtta campestrit), and Mole Crickets (GryUotalpo 

 tmiyaru). The Orthoptera, to which the Crickets belong, 



