March 4, 1886.] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
165 
Boyal Society at 4.30 p.m. Linnean Society at 8 r m. 
Quinquagesima. 
Koyal Geographical Society at 8.30 P.m. 
foTet y B oflV C ^8 a VM. Ciety “ F10ralana FrnH Committees at 11 A ' M - 
CEOTONS FOE DECOEATION. 
HE groups of miscellaneous plants arranged for 
efiect at exhibitions have probably assisted in 
causing the adoption of a more natural system of 
culture for Crotons. It was a common practice 
a ,^ ew ,? ears a S° j 10 pittch the plants, irrespective 
of habit and variety, when a few inches high, to 
induce the formation of branches at the base, 
and lay the foundation of future bushes or 
pyramids. This practice is still prevalent, and 
in a very short time the plants subjected to such treatment 
become too large and are useless for most ornamental 
purposes. Certainly, when required for exhibition and 
association with large Palms, Ferns, and trained specimen 
flowerin g plants, well grown highly coloured plants are very 
beautiful, but the variety should be fully considered, or 
many will not display their true character to the best 
advantage. 
It is not, however, my intention to write about these 
specimen plants, for there are hundreds of gardens in which 
tBe /i a £ e °* D0 serv *ce, and where it is only a waste of space 
and labour to grow them. When needed only for furnishing 
the house in which they are grown large bushes or pyramids 
cannot be arranged with other plants so effectively as smaller 
plants grown upright without topping. 
Hmir beautiful foliage is well developed 
a nd highly coloured, are more telling amongst other foliage 
and flowering plants than Crotons. For the dinner table or 
va ® es scarcely any surpass them, for they are equally 
eflective by gas and daylight. Some varieties, for instance 
the beautiful deep crimson Baron James de Eothschild, 
JNewmannn, and others are brought out vividly by artificial 
ight. 1 ew plants last so long in good condition for such 
positions as Crotons. _ Certainly some are better than others, 
tor the foliage, even in rooms where gas is used, clings to the 
stems tor a long time—in fact, it will become dried upon 
them before it falls. 
To have Crotons in.good form for decoration the whole 
year round in various sized pots, cuttings should be rooted 
every month from now until the end of September. For 
finely developed plants to stand singly either in vases or for 
elevating above surrounding plants in groups, good heads 
must be rooted with large well-coloured foliage at the base. 
It is often impossible to get as many of these heads as are 
required, therefore side shoots produced after the head has 
been removed may be rooted and grown until they have 
developed bold foliage. For winter and spring decoration in 
5 and 6 inch pots these will be handsome specimens 1 foot 
to 18 inches high. 
Crotons do not root so freely now as during the growing 
season, for then any number of large heads may be rooted 
without losing a leaf. When large heads have to be taken 
off they can always be left until the plants are starting, and 
then cut them as near the top as possible to secure good 
foliage. Those who cut into the firm hard wood and think 
of rooting the head without losing the lower foliage, even 
No. 297 .—Vol. XII., Third Series. 
in the best appointed propagating frame, will be mistaken. 
The firm wood is twice as long rooting as that of a softer 
nature, and the lower leaves are certain to fade before the 
head is rooted, but when taken off where the wood is soft 
every leaf will be retained. Many fine heads are spoiled by 
carelessness in this matter at this as well as at other seasons 
of the year. Heads root freely enough at all seasons of the 
year if taken off where the wood is moderately soft and 
inserted singly in pots. Good sized heads are placed in 5 
and 6-inch pots, and few in lees than 3 inch, without they are 
required in very small pots for special purposes. In this case 
highly coloured side shoots are employed and rooted in 2-inch 
pots, and after they have been hardened are ready for the 
form of decoration for which they are required. The pots 
for cuttings should be drained and then filled with a compost 
of loam, one-seventh of decayed manure, and about one7-inch 
potful of soot to each barrowful of soil, to this a little coarse 
sand may be added. Place a little sand in the centre of the 
pot for the base of the cutting to rest upon. Water and 
plunge them in the propagating frame or under handglasses, 
and keep them close until rooted. By plunging the pots and 
covering the surface of the soil with cocoa-nut fibre refuse or 
other material, evaporation is arrested and no more water is 
needed until roots are formed. Shade is necessary until the 
cuttings are rooted and able to withstand full light and sun¬ 
shine afterwards. 
To maintain a good number of highly decorative plants 
the whole year it is important to root a quantity of various 
sizes during August and September. These, if kept in a light 
sunny position in autumn, and wintered in a temperature of 
60°, will continue highly coloured. These may be repotted 
at once, using the compost advised above, into 5, 6, 7, and 
8-inch pots, according to their size and the variety of the 
plants. For such as C. Chelsoni, C. iaterruptus aureus, 0. 
Aigburthensis, C. Eodeckianus, and others do not require 
such large pots as C. Aneitense, C. Baron James de 
Eothschild, C. Johannis, 0. Hanburyanus, 0. Queen Yictoria, 
and Prince of Wales. After potting plunge the pots in saw¬ 
dust, cocoa-nut fibre refuse, or any similar material. If this 
is kept moist and the plants liberally syringed they will fill 
their pots with roots before water need be applied to them. 
Syringe liberally twice or three times daily during bright 
weather when the season has somewhat advanced, twice being 
sufficient for the present. The plants can be well grown 
without plunging, but evaporation from the soil is greater, 
and the labour of watering considerable durin g bright weather, 
for they must never be allowed to suffer in any stage. I have 
never found it good for plants to be constantly pouring water 
into their pots to keep the soil moist about their roots. They 
are subjected to two extremes during every twelve hours of 
bright sunshine, for they are either dry or wet, but when the 
pots are plunged and the plunging material kept moist they 
only need occasional applications to keep the soil moist. 
These plants may be potted from time to time if larger 
specimens are required, but the size named is large enough 
for finely developed specimens, nearly all forms of decoration. 
These plants will by midsummer be in splendid condition for 
any purpose. Heads and cuttings rooted now will succeed 
them, and quantities should be rooted during the months of 
June and July, so that they can be had in suitable condition 
by autumn. 
To grow highly coloured symmetrical specimens give the 
plants plenty of room, for if crowded they cannot be expected 
to be shapely. Employ no shade, but expose them to full 
light and sunshine and not too far from the glass. It is also 
important to keep them in a close moist atmosphere, when 
they will grow rapidly and colour their foliage as developed. 
While the plants are growing very little air is admitted, in 
fact the ventilators are never opened from October until the 
weather is sufficiently genial in spring to admit a small quan¬ 
tity of air without lowering the temperature or chilling the 
plants. Yery little ventilation is given during the whole of 
No. 1953.— Vol. LXX1V., Old Eerie?. 
