90 THE FLORIST. 



they liave completed their growth, when they should be gra- 

 dually hardened off. The best plants will be ready to be 

 used for stocks at the proper season, but the smaller ones will 

 require another year's growth. Grafting is generally per- 

 formed in autumn, and the plants should be kept in a close 

 house or pit until a union is effected. The best time for 

 inarching is just before the plants begin to grow. 



A soil consisting of equal parts light turfy loam and 

 fibry peat, broken up into pieces about the size of a nut, and 

 liberally mixed with broken bones, lumps of charcoal, and 

 sharp sand, will be found to suit perfectly. In potting, care 

 must be taken to secure perfect drainage. It will be found 

 best to select some of the most fibry pieces of the peat, and to 

 cover the draining materials with them ; this, mixed with 

 small pieces of bone or charcoal, is more liked by the roots 

 than moss. The proper time for potting, perhaps, is when 

 the plants are about to start into growth ; but some growers 

 prefer potting after they have made their wood. Water must 

 be carefully supplied after shifting, until the roots get hold 

 of the fresh soil. 



With a sufficient stock of plants, and the necessary accom- 

 modation, a supply of Camellia blossoms may be obtained from 

 August to May. To secure this, place a portion of the stock 

 in a temperature of 60° or 65° in January or early in February, 

 and others at intervals of a month or six weeks, leaving the 

 latest batch to make their wood and set their flower-buds in 

 a cool house ; it may, however, be necessai^ to remove the 

 late plants to a higher temperature to induce them to form 

 flower-buds ; but except in the case of very vigorous young 

 plants, this will hardly be required. The plants should be 

 freely supplied with weak manure-water at all seasons, and 

 especially while growing, and they will be benefited by fre- 

 quent syringings. As soon as they have made their wood 

 and formed their flower-buds, they should be removed to a 

 cooler situation ; and as soon as the weather will permit, they 

 may be placed in a sheltered shady place out of doors. Those 

 which were in heat in January or February will probably be 

 in flower in August ; but if not, they may be transferred to a 

 warmer atmosphere, to encourage them to push their buds. 



When they have done flowering, they should be per- 

 mitted to have a season of rest, and should not be overwatered, 

 nor excited by a high temperature ; from 35° to 45° will be 

 sufficient at that time. It is also necessary to select for early 

 growth such plants as have their wood-buds in a forward 

 state. 



The Camellia, if well managed, will seldom get into iU 



