90 Encyclopaedia of Gardening 



Cross-fertilisation. See Hybridisation. 



Croton (cro-ton, from kroton, a tick, in allusion to the seeds. 

 Ord. Euphorbiaceae) . The great beauty of the Crotons lies in 

 their foliage, which is both graceful in form and beautiful in colour. 

 It varies greatly, alike in shape and hue. In some the leaves are 

 broad, and either upright or gently arched; in others they are 

 narrow and twisted. Many colours are represented in them. 

 Crotons are beautiful plants for table decoration, and it is customary 

 to grow a collection for this purpose in. most large places. The 

 usual home of the plants is a warm, light house, kept moist by 

 frequent syringing; heat, light, and moisture are, indeed, the prin- 

 cipal requirements. With them the plants are healthy and rich in 

 colour; without them, weak and dull. They like a compost of 3 

 parts loam, with i each of peat and leaf mould, and some sand. 

 Propagation is by cuttings of firm young shoots in peat and sand 

 under a bell-glass in heat in spring. Leggy plants are often dwarfed 

 by cutting a slit in the stem, putting something in to hold it open, 

 binding^wet moss round, and keeping in a high temperature until roots 

 have pushed, when the plants are removed and potted. The species 

 are of no importance horticulturally, and need not be described. 

 The seed of C. Tiglium yields Croton oil, a strong purgative. The 

 following are beautiful varieties: 



Golden Chain, narrow, twisted; Golden Ring, narrow, twisted; 

 Hawkeri, broad; Invicta, broad; Mortii, broad; Warrenii, narrow, 

 twisted. 



Crowfoot (Ranunculus). A troublesome weed which must be 

 kept under; it dies if forked out into sunshine. 



Crown Imperial. See Bulbs. 



Cryptogam. The non-flowering members of the vegetable king- 

 dom were called cryptogams because their methods of increase were 

 not obvious. The word comes from kryptos, hidden, and gamos, 

 marriage literally, concealed union. The flowering plants were 

 called Phanerogams, from phaneros, visible, and gamos, marriage. 

 They are now called Angiosperms. 



Cryptomeria, Japan Cedar (cryptome-ria, from kryptos, hidden, and 

 meris, part, the flowers being hidden. Ord. Coniferae). Only one 

 species is grown to any extent, and that is japonica, a handsome 

 tree, of which there are many varieties, different in habit; elegans 

 (syn. Veitchii), Lobbii, nana, and spiralis are a few of the most 

 popular. The Japan Cedar likes a deep, loamy soil and a sheltered 

 situation. A dry, exposed spot is unsuitable. 



Cuckoo-spit. Many plants are soiled by spittle-like masses 

 covering a green insect in summer. Syringing with a decoction of 

 quassia water is a good remedy; or it may be brushed away. 



Cucumber. See Kitchen Garden. 



Cuphea (cii-phea, from kuphos, curved, the form of the seed pod. 

 Ord. Lythrarieae) . Graceful plants, with slender, tubular flowers. 

 Only one species is grown to any extent, and that is ignea (syn. 

 platycentra), which grows about a foot high, and has scarlet and 



