C R O 



cue 



half-two-cleft j stigmas reflex, two-cleft; the 

 pericarpium is a roundish capsule, three-lobed at 

 the sides, three-celled, each of the cells being 

 two-valved, the size of the calyx; frequently 

 much larger: the seeds are solitary, ovate, and 

 large. 



The species cultivated are : 1 . C. lincare, 

 Willow-leaved Croton ; 2. C. glabellum, Laurel- 

 leaved Croton; 3. C. schiferum, Poplar-leaved 

 Croton, or Tallow-Tree. 



The first rises with a shrubby stem, about six 

 or.seven fee thigh, sending out many side branches, 

 which are covered with a smooth bark of a yel- 

 lowish white colour, and very closely furnished 

 with narrow stiff leaves, near three inches long, 

 and about one-eighth of an inch broad, of"a 

 light green on their upper side, but their under 

 of the same colour with the bark ; the midrib is 

 furrowed on the upper side, and very prominent 

 on the lower : the upper part of the branches 

 divide into four or five smaller, proceeding from 

 the same joint, and nearly equal in length ; be- 

 tween these arises a long loose spike of whitish 

 green flowers. The whole plant has an aroma- 

 tic odour when rubbed. From the colour of its 

 leaves, it has acquired the name of Wild Rose- 

 mary, in Jamaica. It is a native of that island, 

 &c. flowering in July. 



The second species grows in a shrubby form, 

 mostly to seven or eight feet in height. The 

 leaves are smooth, oval, and entire : all the parts 

 of the plant have a pretty agreeable smell. It 

 is a native of the West-Indies. 



The third rises with a shrubby stem : the leaf- 

 lets are broader than they are Jong, and in- 

 volute, and there are two glands at the base of 

 the leaf: the leaves dye a very fine black. It is 

 a native of China; flowering here in September. 

 The leaves wither, turn to a dirty crimson colour, 

 and fall off in autumn before the capsules. The 

 young leaves shoot out again in March. Each 

 capsule contains three hard black shells, the size 

 of pepper-corns or common peas, covered entirely 

 with a delicate snow-white substance. But it is 

 not this, as is commonly supposed, that produces 

 the tallow, but the oil expressed from the kernel; 

 and this white substance must be well cleared 

 from the. shells before they are broken, as that 

 considerably lessens the quantity of oil. For 

 this purpose the shells should remain ten or fif- 

 teen days in water to soak, and then they may 

 be cleared of the white substance by rubbing. 

 The oil drops from the press like thick glutinous 

 lamp oil, and soon hardens by cold to the con- 

 sistence of common tallow, and by boiling it 

 becomes as hard at bee's-wax. 



Culture. — These plants may be increased by 

 sowing the seeds procured from their native 

 places in the early spring, in pots filled with mel- 



low earth, plunging them in the bark hot-bed 

 in the stove : when the plants are of sufficient 

 growth, they should be removed into separate 

 pots, and be replunged in a moderate hot-bed, 

 having proper shade given. The first sort may 

 likewise be easily raised, by cuttings planted in 

 pots, and managed in I he same manner. 



And the second and third species may be raised 

 by laying down the branches in the spring sea- 

 son, when seeds cannot be obtained. 



They require the protection of the stove or 

 hot-house during the winter season, and should 

 be only watered very sparingly. In other re- 

 spects, they should have the management of 

 other tender stove exotics. 



As they constantly retain their leaves, they 

 afford a pretty effect in assemblage with other 

 shrubby exotic plants. 



CROWN IMPERIAL. See Fkitillaria. 



CUCKOLD TREE. See Mimosa. 



CUCKOWPINT. See Arum. 



CUCUMBER. See Cucumis. 



CUCUMIS, a genus comprisingplants of the 

 tender trailing annual kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Monoecia 

 Syngenesia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Cucurhltacece. 



The characters are : that in the male flowers, 

 the calyx is a one-leafed, bell-shaped perianth, the 

 margin terminated by five subulate teeth : the co- 

 rolla is five-parted, growing to the calyx, bell- 

 shaped : divisions ovate, veiny-wrinkled: the sta- 

 mina consist of three filaments, very short, insert- 

 ed into the calyx, converging, of which two are 

 bifid at the tip : the anthers are lines creeping 

 upwards and downwards, outwardly adnate : 

 receptacle three-cornered, truncated, in the cen- 

 tre of the flower: the female flowers on the 

 same plant with the males : calyx perianth as in 

 the males, the superior, deciduous : corolla as in 

 the males : stamina none : filaments three, acu- 

 minate, very small, without anthers : the pis- 

 tillum is an inferior germ, large; style cylin- 

 dric, very short; stigmas three, thick, gib- 

 bous, two-parted, turned outwards: the peri- 

 carpium is a pome (berry) three-celled (or 

 four-celled) ; cells membranaceous, soft, sepa- 

 rate (into two secondary ones) : the seeds nu- 

 merous, ovate-acute, compressed, placed in a 

 double order. 



The species cultivated are : 1 . C. sativum, 

 Common Cucumber; 2. C. Melo, Common or 

 Musk Melon. 



The first has the roots composed of many 

 long, slender, white fibres; the stems are also 

 long, rather slender, and very branchy at their 

 points, either trailing on the ground, or climb- 

 ing by means ofclaspers. The leaves are large, an- 

 gular, on long erect footstalks, having promineut 



