280 



THE CAMELLIA JAPONICA. 



should most likely work would be scarce, 

 there would be more likelihood of our hav- 

 ing no grafts to work or spare, and the best 

 way would be to work the stock as low 

 down as possible. The whole vigor of the 

 plant is then thrown into the single graft, 

 which grows very strong and pretty rapidly ; 

 in fact, very much in proportion to the age 

 and condition of the stock. What Ave 

 mean by this working of plants that have 

 bloomed, is this : — Perhaps among our col- 

 lection, we have too many of one sort ; the 

 most ugly of these could be thus changed 

 to another. Suppose we find sorts that we 

 do not like ; work others upon these stocks. 

 Again ; if anybody fancies he should like 

 several sorts upon one plant, the best way 

 then is to cut back all the branches, so as 

 to form a skeleton of a plant, and work 

 each branch pretty close, say from two to 

 six inches, according to their situation, and 

 the form it will make ; many will leave 

 part of the old plant to answer for that 

 sort, but it is far better to serve all alike. 

 Some of the favorite plants are bare in 

 parts, but otherwise handsome ; this can al- 

 ways be improved by grafting pieces of the 

 same variety on the bare or thin parts of 

 the plant, and thus making new branches 

 where they are wanted. It is in such cases 

 desirable to inarch the new branches, be- 

 cause you can by such means have them of 

 any size that is best adapted for the pur- 

 pose. See to all the budded and grafted 

 stocks, and prevent the stocks from grow- 

 ing, by rubbing off any buds that may 

 chance to co;ne below the worked part. 



May. — The bloom being now virtually 

 over, prepare for the growth of the plants. 

 Shift all of the plants that have filled their 

 pots with roots, without disturbing them any 

 more than you can help ; one inch all round 

 will not be too much to increase the size of 

 the new pot over that of the old one. Keep 

 the ball entire ; remove the surface a litt'e, 

 and some of the crocks if they will come 

 away without disturbing the roots, but not 

 else. Trim the plants in the form best 

 adapted for making handsome growth. 

 Some branches may require to be stopped 

 by merely removing the end bud; others 

 may want the side shoots, or extremely vi- 

 gorous shoots, to be shortened or altogeth- 

 er removed; but allowance must be made 



for the probable growth of each stock, be- 

 cause you must calculate on leaving all on 

 that grows, on account of the bloom always 

 setting at the end of the joints. After 

 shifting and trimming, water, to settle the 

 new soil to the old ball, and place them un- 

 der glass for a day or two, well shaded, but 

 not uncovered to give air for a time. They 

 may then be placed where they are to grow. 

 This should be in a house or pit, by them- 

 selves, where there is little or no change of 

 temperature, not affected by the sun, which 

 must, either by situation or artificial means, 

 be kept from them, except mornings and 

 evenings for a little while ; and here their 

 growth should be without a check, which 

 alone causes these plants to become bare 

 of bloom. When grown in perfection, they 

 should set for bloom at every branch. Use 

 all the stocks, and complete all the grafting 

 and inarching ; and let all the plants under 

 that operation have a little assistance by 

 way of temperature — fire, or water, or tan 

 heat,' to keep them going during the night, 

 and the sun kept off during the kay. Now 

 put in all the cuttings you can make for 

 stocks, by cutting in all the lateral shoots 

 from the unused stocks by you, and by top- 

 ping them all, and put them into heat as di- 

 rected. The stocks may be placed in the 

 shade, out of doors, on some hard bottom to 

 prevent the roots striking through the pots 

 into the ground, and worms from getting 

 into the pots. Look well to watering ; re- 

 pot the stocks that are not used for propa- 

 gation, that they may be kept in good 

 growing condition till wanted. 



June. — The bloom finished, do all that 

 has been left undone from last month's di- 

 rections. Look to all the grafted and bud- 

 ded and inarched plants ; wherever they 

 appear united, take the bandages carefully 

 off to examine, and tie again somewhat 

 more loosely. It may be unsafe to trust 

 them without any tie at all, and it impedes 

 their growth to continue the tight bandage 

 on after they have united, Where inarch- 

 ing has been done, the ties of those which 

 appear to be united should be undone and 

 tied up again. You may also cut the 

 grafted branch half way through, towards 

 cutting off altogether, and cut off the por- 

 tion of stock that is above the graft altoge- 

 ther ; but in all these things, regard must 



