Crinura 



( 250 ) 



Crocosmia 



Propagation. I!y seeds or offsets. Generally 

 speaking, the latter system is the better, -for if 

 large offsets are secured and potted in the early 

 sprint: they will grow and produce excellent flowers 

 in about fifteen months. Propagation from seeds 

 is easy, but it takes about four years to grow 

 flowering plants. The pots, which should contain 

 one seed each, ought to be placed in a propagating 

 case. The schillings must be repotted before they 

 become root-hound. 



Soil.- A mixture of mellow, fibrous loam two 

 parts, fibrous peat one part, both being pulled to 

 pieces and used in a lumpy state, with sharp 

 sand to ensure porosity, suits. 



Other Cultural Points. -When the species that 

 are grown in large pots or tubs have reached the 

 utmost convenient size, annual repotting or re- 

 tubbing is neither necessary nor desirable, provided 

 perfect drainage was given at the outset. Let 

 top-dressing take the place of potting, displacing 

 some of the surface soil by fresh, rich compost. 

 Bulbs of the hardy species should be covered by 

 8" of soil, which inust be rich, without contain- 

 ing a great deal of fresh manure, and moisture- 

 holding, but not to the point of stagnation. 



Principal Species : 



amabile, 3' to 4', Je., Jy., 



St., red pur. (sy. su- 



perbum). 



asiaticum, 3', Jy., st., wh. 

 Kirkii, T , aut., wh., red 



(si/n. massaianum). 

 longifolium, 3', Jy., hdy., 



pk. Flourishes on the 



margins of ponds. 



There is a fine wh. 



form (syns. capense 



and riparium). 

 Macowani, 3', Nov., Dec., 



cool st. , wh. pur. 

 Moorei, 2', spr. or aut., 



Moorei 



vanilloiloruin (<( gijan- 



teum). 

 yuccajflorum, H', sum., 



red, wh. (,'/. Brous- 



sonetii). 



ycmense (we latifolium). 

 zeylauicum, 3', Je., pur. 



cool st., ro. One of the 

 best known. There is 

 a beautiful wh. var. 

 (album) , and also one 

 with variegated leaves 

 (yariegatum) (/*. 

 Colensoi, Mackenii, ma- 

 koyauum, and natal- 

 ense.) 



Powellii.4'. Jy., sub-hily., 

 ro. ; a hybrid from longi- 

 folium and Moorei. 

 There are wh. (album) 

 and red (rubrum) forms 

 (.'/. grandiflorum). 



Other Species: 



americaimm, 2', Je., wh. 

 an^ustifolium,2', Jy., wh. 



(siftix. arenarium and 



australasicum). 

 aquaticum (see campanu- 



latum). 

 arenarium (see angnsti- 



f olium) . 



augustum, !', Jy., ro. 

 australasicum (.vr angus- 



tif olium). 

 australe (see peduncula- 



tum). 



brachyiiema. 1^', Je., wh. 

 bractuatum. 1', Je., wh. 

 Broussonetii (.w yuccae- 



florum). 

 campanulatum, 4', sum., 



ro. (*,'/. aquaticum). 

 caualiculatum (nee pe- 



dunculatum) . 

 capense (nee longifolium). 

 careyanum,2', Oct. , blush. 

 Colensoi (.wMoorei). 

 Commelynii, 2', Jy. , wh. 



(HI/US, lindlcyanum and 



rcvolutum). 

 cruentum, 4', Jy. , pk. 

 dofixum, 2', Oct., wh. 

 distichum, 2', Jy., pur., 



wh. 

 erubescens. 2', Jy., wh., 



pur. 



flaccidum, 2J', Jy., wh. 



forbesianum, 1', Oct., wh. 

 red. 



giganteum, 4', Jy., wh. 

 (see p. 249) (syns. nobile 

 and vauillociorum). 



gniiMliHorum(sffPowellii). 



Hilrtebrandtii, 2', Aug., 

 wh. 



latifolium, 2', Jy., pk. 

 (XI/HX. moluccana and 

 speciosum). 



leucophyllum,2',Aug.,pk. 



liudleyannm (nee Com- 

 melyuii). 



liueare, 2', sum , red, wh. 



Mackeuii (see Moorei). 



makoyanum (nee Moorei). 



massaianum (see Kirkii). 



moluccanum (see lati- 

 folium). 



natalense (see Moorei). 



nobile (<tre giganteum). 



pedunculatum, 4', sum., 

 grn.,wh. (tyiis. australe, 

 cannlicnlatum, and tait- 

 ense). 



podophyllum, 1', Oct.,wh. 



revolutum (see Com- 

 melynii). 



ri]iariiim (we longifolium) . 



scabrum, 3', My. , pk. 



Schimperi, wh. 



Schmidtii 

 album). 



speciosum (nee latifolium). 



submersum, H', Jy.. pk. 



superbuni (XIT amaliile). 



taitense (net peduncula- 

 tum). 



CRISTARIA. 



A little-grown genus of about twenty species of 

 plants (urd. Malvaceae), generally of prostrate 

 habit, and requiring greenhouse oi' stove treatment. 

 They like a peaty soil, and are propagated by 

 cuttings, or by seeds sown in heat in spring. Prac- 

 tically the only one in cultivation under the name 

 of Cristaria is the undenioted, which properly 

 belongs to the Malvastrums, and is a pretty herba- 

 ceous plant, hardy in this country. 



Principal Species : 



coccinea, G", Aug., sc. (now Malvastrum cocci- 

 neum). 



CRITHMUM. (SAMPHIRE.) 



A hardy perennial plant (ord. Umbellifera?), the 

 only species now included in the genus being a 

 fleshy-leaved subject frequently used for making 

 pickles. It is a seaside plant, but may be culti- 

 vated successfully inland if planted, or the seeds 

 sown, on a shaded, sheltered border in a warm 

 position. Some recommend that the plants should 

 be watered occasionally with a weak solution of 

 Tidman's or other sea-salt. Other plants formerly 

 known as Crithmum will be found under Astydamia, 

 Cenolophium, Deveria, Seseli, etc. C. latifolium is 

 Astydamia canariensis. 



Only Species : 



maritimum, 1', Aug., wh. 



CROCKS. 



The pieces of broken flower pots which are used 

 to form drainage for pot plants. One large, roughly 

 rounded piece is placed concave side downwards, 

 to cover the hole at the bottom of the pot. Over 

 this smaller pieces are arranged in layers in large 

 pots, or loosely scattered in to a depth of j" or so 

 for smaller ones ; the whole being carefully covered 

 with semi-decayed leaves, peat fibre, or moss, on 

 which the soil rests, and whose intrusion into nnd 

 choking of the drainage is thereby prevented. 

 Small lumps of coke, cinders, or gravel sweepings 

 may take the place of ordinary crocks. 



CROCOSMIA. 



A very handsome bulbous plant (urd. Iridese), 

 which is one of the parents of the favourite Mont- 

 bretia (now Tritonia) crocosmiseflora, and is very 

 ornamental in borders, or grown in pots for the 

 greenhouse or conservatory. It is rather tender in 

 cold districts and on some soils, and it is wise to 

 cover the surface of the soil before frost sets in with 

 3" or 4" of Cocoanut fibre refuse or dry litter. Or 

 the corms may be lifted when the leaves become 

 yellow, and stored in a dry place, free from frost, 

 until spring. Plant from )" to (>" deep in rich 

 but light soil. This fine plant is propagated by 

 offsets, removed when the plant is at rest, or by 

 seeds sown in pots under glass or in a frame as 

 soon as ripe. 



Only Species : 



aurea, 2', Jy., etc., or. Vars. of much worth 

 nre imperialis and maculata, the former being very 

 fine. 



Criocerii (gee Asparagus Beetle). 



