January 10. 1881. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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Royal Society at 4.30 P.M.. 
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Quekett Club at 8 P.m. 
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Royal Botanic Society at 3.45 P.M. 
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1ST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPIIANT. 
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Society of Arts at 8 P.M. 
CROTONS. 
NDER the name of Crotons we have a number 
of plants which must be familiar to everyone 
connected with horticulture, since their cultiva¬ 
tion has become universal. Crotons are included 
in the natural order Euphorbiaceae or Spurge- 
worts, and in horticulture they form a very 
important section of the class termed “ Orna¬ 
mental Eoliage Plants.” Perhaps the greatest 
proof—if proof were wanting—of the beauty of 
these plants and their sterling worth is to be found in the 
extraordinary manner in which, during the last few years, 
they have been developed ; for whereas about fifteen years 
ago only about half a dozen were in cultivation, now upwards 
of a hundred can be enumerated, and it should be borne in 
mind that this great increase of variety is not the result of a 
selection from a batch of seedlings, as is the case with 
Gloxinias and Begonias, but by far the greater number have 
bean introduced into this country from their native habitats. 
Most of the varieties are natives of the South Sea 
Islands, a few come from the East Indies and Jamaica, 
while lately several have been imported from New Guinea 
and Borneo. The remainder are garden hybrids, the 
result of the handiwork of the horticulturist. It is worthy 
of note that these latter hybrids are in no way inferior to 
those introduced from abroad—in fact, it is a matter of 
.opinion whether the variety known as Queen Victoria, which 
was raised at the Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper 
Holloway, London, and was the first garden hybrid, is not 
the best variety in cultivation. Certainly Her Majesty is 
very popular, and deservedly so. Crotons, then, during the 
last few years have grown so much in favour generally, and 
so many varieties of different character and various degrees 
of excellence have been introduced to cultivation, that they 
are now regarded as indispensable to the exhibitor and 
horticultural decorator. These plants present a beautiful 
combination of' colour and elegance such as is not to be 
found in any other class of plants, and if we require proof 
of this I need only remark that there is scarcely a horticul¬ 
tural show throughout the country where Crotons do not 
hold an important position. It does not matter whether it 
be in the class for a given number of fine-foliage plants, or 
a given number of foliage and flowering plants, or in the 
class for table plants, or in groups of plants arranged for 
effect, in each of these cases they are found to be so 
thoroughly effective as to render it entirely out of the 
question to do without them. 
Three sizes of plants are required for the above purposes 
—viz., large specimen, medium, and small, and these three 
sizes will be found suitable for almost all decorative purposes 
for which tender plants are available. Presuming, then, 
that Crotons are of so much value for exhibition and 
decoration, a few remarks on their general culture may not 
be altogether out of place. Crotons being natives of hot 
countries, it will be apparent that they require the tempera¬ 
ture of a stove to grow them satisfactorily; but it is not 
No. 185.— Yol. VIII., Third Series. 
well to keep them in too strong heat. I find that 65° by 
night and 70° by day, allowing the temperature to rise 10° 
or 15° by sun heat, with plenty of moisture in the house, 
suits them admirably. They should be syringed twice a day 
during the spring and summer to keep down red spider, and 
slightly shaded from the sun for four or five hours in the 
hottest part of the day during the months of June, July, and 
August. When it is not possible to devote a house to them 
entirely they should be placed together in a light part of the 
stove and as close to the glass as possible to insure their 
colouring well. I have heard it remarked that Crotons 
require starving to bring out their colours properly, but this 
is altogether a mistake. I am no advocate for starving, and 
if the term is admissible iu gardening at all it certainly 
should not come under the head of “ Cultivation of Crotons.” 
So far, then, from starving Crotons I recommend growing 
them in a rich compost, and I find the following suits them 
well:—Two parts good fibrous loam, one part best Hamp¬ 
shire peat, and one part well-decomposed leaf mould, with a 
little silver sand to keep the soil open, and the addition of a 
small quantity of Clay’s fertiliser, say in the proportion of a 
5^-inch potful to a wheelbarrow load of the compost. 
Assuming that we have the proper soil and accommodation 
for cultivating these plants, we will begin with their propaga¬ 
tion. Crotons are propagated from cuttings, which strike 
freely at almost any season of the year; but perhaps the 
best time is in the autumn and winter, when the wood is 
matured and growth less free. Cuttings inserted in sandy 
soil singly in thumb pots and plunged in bottom heat of 
about 80° to 85°, and covered with a bellglass or liandlight, 
will generally root in about three or four weeks, and as soon 
as rooted should be gradually exposed to the temperature of 
the ordinary house. When the pots are filled with roots the 
young plants should be shifted into 4-inch pots and plunged 
into a gentle bottom heat, but without being covered with 
bellglass or handliglit, and in a fortnight or three weeks 
we shall have healthy little plants well established. 
Now comes the question, For what purpose are the 
plants intended ? Are they required for large specimen 
plants for competition, or medium-size plants for general 
decoration, or small table plants ? It will be imperative to 
decide these questions and to cultivate accordingly; for, 
although the same temperature and soil will suit in either 
case, yet the treatment in some details will differ very 
essentially. We will suppose, then, for our first example 
that large specimen plants are required, and will select 
Baroness James de Rothschild, a variety of the broad leaf 
section, and Disraeli, a variety of the trilobe section. 
Both of these are robust growers and well adapted for 
specimens, yet requiring different treatment in some respects 
from such varieties as Hawkeri and interruptus aureus of 
the medium and narrow-leaf sections. 
Having clean healthy plants, and supposing it to be the 
month of February, they should be shifted into 6-inch pots, 
and as soon as they have each about six leaves the points of 
the shoots should be pinched out to induce them to produce 
side shoots. When these have grown a good length, and the 
pots have become full of roots, which will be in about 
two months, shift the plants again into 9-inch pots, and when 
they are well established in these the points should be again 
pinched out to induce more breaks. As soon as these pots 
are filled with roots, which will be in about two months, the 
plants should be transferred into 12-inch pots, and, if neces¬ 
sary, the points of the shoots may be again pinched; but if 
there are about a dozen shoots no more pinching will be 
required, as this number will be sufficient to form the basis 
of a specimen plant. 
The object now is to induce strong healthy growth and 
large leaves, which I venture to say are more effective and 
desirable than a multitude of small shoots, and, consequently, 
small leaves. The plants should be kept growing steadily 
through the autumn and winter, and the shoots tied out 
No. 1841 .—Yol. LXX., Old Series. 
