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Scarcely more than three or four species exist and about these all 
the so called crotons may be grouped as seedling forms or sports. 
Upwards of one hundred and thirty garden varieties have been describ- 
ed from time to time and the number is constantly being added to. 
I will not endeavour here to do more than describe a very few of the 
commoner varieties easily procurable in the Peninsula. 
Crotons are easily propagated by cuttings of ripened wood. 
Shoots with growing points should be selected and inserted singly in 
sandy soil in three inch pots and kept well watered in a shady place until 
roots are emitted and then gradually exposed to the full sun. Full 
sun light at all times is necessary to bring out the full colours of the 
leaves. When planted in shady positions the leaves rapidly become 
green. 
Crotons are apt to grow tall and lanky and if bushy plants are 
required for planting out they should be occasionally pinched back 
when young in order to induce them to branch freely. Crotons are 
displayed to the best advantage when planted not too closely to- 
gether, in beds or in clumps in shrubberies. 
Many varieties make excellent hedges if properly trained. 
Croton albicans. Leaves broad-lanceolate twelve to fifteen inches 
long, two to three inches broad ; ground colour dark shining green, 
beautifully variegated with ivory white. 
Croton angustissimum. Leaves drooping, linear, twelve to eighteen 
inches long i inch broad channelled, apex bluntish; dark green, 
margins and mid rib shining yellow. 
Croton Baron Frank Seilliere, Leaves close together, leathery, 10 
to 15 inches long and from 2| inches to 3 inches wide gracefully curved, 
bright green, light pink underneath in older leaves ; the nerves and 
petiole are pale yellow and ivory white. 
Croton elegans. Leaves six inches long, £ inch broad, linear lan- 
ceolate, obtuse at the apex, upper surface dark green midrib crimson or 
yellowish, margins slightly pink, lower surface dull green mottled 
with purple. 
Croton eburneum. Leaves elliptical-lanceolate, slightly recurred, 6 
inches long 1| inches in breadth, deep green with a broad central band 
of clear ivory or creamy white running out halfway to the margins 
* with projections at the bases of the principal veins. 
Croton illustris. Leaves green deeply mottled with golden yellow, 
the centre bar yellow and the variegation irregularly distributed, some- 
times the points are wholly golden ; mostly three-lobed on purplish 
petioles, base oblong, succeeded by two lateral alternate lobes having 
a forked appearance. An extremely distinct and attractive plant. 
Croton Macfarlanei . Leaves linear-lanceolate, pendulous, arch ed 
9 inches to 12 inches long, 1 inch broad, dark fiery crimson when 
mature ; young leaves rich yellow blotched irregularly with dark green. 
Croton nevillicc. Leaves oblong-lanceolate olive green when young, 
barred and marked with yellow, when mature the yellow changes to a 
crimson, shaded with orange, dark green and suffused with a metallic 
hue. 
