THE CRASSULA. 



175 



Tromotriche, Obesia, Buvallia, Huernia, &c., are ail perennial plants, and 

 are most readily increased by cuttings, which should be taken off at the 

 junction of the stems, where they are only shghtly attached. Some of 

 the very smallest may be divided at the root, and ail of them produce 

 seeds which vegetate freely. 



CRASSULA COCCINEA, AND C. VERSICOLOR, 



Are flowering plants of great beauty and of easy culture. The following 

 remarks on this subject by Mr. G. Hai'rison, in Vol. YI. of the Floricul- 

 tural Cabinet, deserve attention. 



" In propagating these plants," says Mr. H., I take off cuttings in 

 March. I find it ver)- essential to dry them a little previous to planting, 

 as, being succulents, they are apt to damp off ; each is cut off close under 

 a joint, and about five inches in length. The pots I use are thirty-two's ; 

 I place at the bottom of each pot about two inches deep of potsherd, 

 broken small ; upon these, one inch deep of mould, then two inches of 

 white sand, in which the cuttings are inserted ; six or eight may be 

 planted in one pot ; the pot is filled up with mould, which is pressed close 

 round each cutting. The plants are plunged into a hot-bed frame, at from 

 seventy to eighty degrees, which soon causes the cuttings to strike root ; 

 I give no water till the cuttings begin to grow, when a httle is given with 

 caution. As soon as they have got well rooted, I pot them off into forty- 

 eight sized pots, one in each pot. The compost I use is of equal quantity- 

 of rich loam and peat earth, with one sixth part added of lime rubbish, 

 broken fine. I have repeatedly nsed various other composts, but always 

 found the plants to succeed best in the above. I re-plunge the pots into 

 the frame, and admit at all times as much air and water as the season will 

 admit of. Should any of the cuttings not throw out more than one shoot, 

 the end is pinched off, which will cause the emission of a number of shoots 

 for blooming the following year." 



It should here be observed, as it is from the top of the shoots that the 

 flowers are produced, that when flowers are desired, the shoots should be 

 permitted to extend themselves without afterwards being cut. But to 

 return to Mr. H.'s excellent paper. 



" The plants are kept in a humid temperature until October, when a 

 little water and heat will be required until March follov^ing, when as many 

 plants as are intended to bloom early are plunged into a brisk heat, either 

 in a hot-bed frame, or pine pit, which soon causes the production of a 



