CROTONS. 171 



to be checked if the roots are broken in potting, it is 

 better to place them singly in small pots filled with 

 light, sandy soil, and plunge in strong bottom heat 

 under a hand glass, or other propagating case. As soon 

 as rooted, they should be gradually hardened, until the 

 pots fill with roots, when they should be repotted in a 

 fibrous, sandy compost and returned for a few days to 

 the propagating case, or a hotbed, to avoid a check ; 

 after being hardened and established they may be taken 

 out. They require at all times a moist atmosphere to 

 keep them free from the red spider, and hence frequent 

 syringing is necessary. While they should never be 

 allowed to become dry, care should be taken against 

 over-watering, and as a safeguard they should be kept in 

 as small pots as possible, helping them out in their 

 growth with liquid manure. The use of water from 

 which the chill has been taken will be of great value. 

 If branching plants are desired, they can be secured by 

 heading back the main stem to the proper point and, 

 later, pinching in the branches. In this way, large 

 specimen plants can be grown. In order to have them 

 take on a good color, they should be given as much light 

 as possible, by keeping them near the glass and out of 

 the shade of other plants. 



Codiaeums can be used to advantage in brightening 

 up a conservatory, or cool house, but the change from 

 the stove room should be gradual, lest the plants receive 

 a check and the leaves drop. While they have been used 

 for bedding with success in the southern part of the 

 country, it is only in warm and protected situations that 

 they thrive north of latitude 41°. When thus used out 

 of doors they should receive daily syringings. 



Among the best varieties are Codiceum Disrcelii, C. 

 Evansianum, C. gloriosum, C. illustris, C. inter ruptum, 

 C. pictum, G. Queen Victoria, C. recurvifolium, 0. Roths- 

 childianum, C. varieqatum, C. Veitchii and C. volutum. 



