CRATjE'GUS. 



67 



CRO'CUS. 



common hawthorn. The handsomest 

 species for their flowers, are the red- 

 blossomed and double-flowered haw- 

 thorns; the handsomest for their 

 leaves, are the different kinds of cock- 

 spur thorn (C. crus-galli), C. 

 punctata, C. pyrifolia, C. pruni- 

 fblia (the leaves of which die off 

 of a deep red), and C. Leeana : 

 and the most curious for their fruit 

 are C. Douglassii, C. Mexicana 

 and C. orientalis. The earliest- 

 flowering in spring are C. purpurea, 

 and C. nigra, the latter of which 

 is said to attract nightingales ; and the 

 Glastonbury thorn, a variety of the 

 common Hawthorn, often flowers at 

 Christmas. C. Oouyacantha pendula, 

 and C. O. regtnce, Queen Mary's 

 thorn, have both pendulous branches ; 

 and C. O. stricta and C. tanaceti- 

 folia grow stiff and upright, like a 

 Lombardy poplar. C. tanacetifblia 

 and C. odoratissima have bluish- 

 green leaves, which look as though 

 they had been slightly powdered ; 

 and C. crus-galli splendens, and 

 several other kinds, have their leaves 

 of a shining dark blackish green. 

 C. pyracantha is an evergreen, and 

 has a very good effect when trained 

 against a wall, from its shining leaves, 

 its bunches of pure white flowers, and 

 its brilliant scarlet fruit, which are 

 so abundant in winter as to induce the 

 French to call the plant Buisson ar- 

 dent, or the Burning Bush. 



All the species of Crataegus will 

 grow well in any soil that is naturally 

 dry, but if planted in marshy ground, 

 they will be stunted in their growth, 

 and their leaves and fruit will become 

 spotted and unhealthy. The common 

 Hawthorn is propngated by seeds, 

 which often lie two years in the 

 ground before they germinate, if not 

 prepared before sowing, by being suf- 

 fered to lie for several months in 

 what is called a rot heap ; and which 

 is often turned over during that time, 



to prevent the seeds from having 

 their vital powers destroyed by the 

 heat generated by fermentation. The 

 finer kinds of thorns are generally 

 grafted or budded on seedlings of the 

 common Hawthorn. 



Creeping Cereus. — Cereus fla- 

 gelliforrnis. A succulent plant with 

 long round pendant stems, beautiful 

 pink flowers, and dark purple eatable 

 fruit. For the culture, &c, see 

 Cereus. 



Crepis. — Composites. — Annual, 

 biennial, and perennial plants, natives 

 of Europe, of easy culture in any com- 

 mon soil. The two kinds most common 

 in gardens are, however, now removed 

 to other genera; C.barbata, the yellow 

 hawkweed, being now made Tolpis 

 barbata, and Crepis rubra, the red 

 hawkweed, being now called Bork- 

 hausia rubra. The first kind only 

 requires sowing in the open ground 

 with the other annuals in March or 

 April, and may be transplanted if 

 necessary ; the second is also quite 

 hardy, but it should be sown where it 

 is to remain, as it does not well bear 

 transplanting. 



Cress Rocket. — See Vella. 

 Cri^num. — AmaryllidacecB. — 

 Stove bulbous-rooted, lily-like plants, 

 with very long leaves and large white 

 flowers, which in some species are 

 fragrant. The plants should be grown 

 in rich loam mixed with a little peat 

 and sand, and allowed plenty of pot- 

 room. They are increased by suck- 

 ers, which are produced very sparingly. 

 Several of the plants which are called 

 by some botanists Crinum, are called 

 by others Pancratium, or Amaryllis. 



Cro'cus. — Iridaceee. — There are 

 nearly a hundred named kinds of Cro- 

 cus, including hybrids and varieties ; 

 but there ai-e only about thirty distinct 

 species. All the kinds have solid 

 bulbs or corms, and they should not 

 be taken out of the ground oftcner 

 than once in three years, being re- 

 f2 



