FOREIGN NOTICES. 



porfoct llipso ehoots ; then, in the end of November or bi'Liinnin;^ of December, when the plant 

 is in a state of rest, and not before, it is cut back to the first or second eye of tlio second juish, 

 takiu" care, however, that tlie eye to whieli we prune is iiol so/urwarti, nor so prominent, as those 

 bfline if. Tills being attended to, all the buils will start in spring simultaneously. But, on the 

 contrarv, if we leave the shoot too long, or ]>rune it to an eye that is more jirominent or more 

 forward than those below it, tiiat eye will start away, whil>t those below will remain dormant. 



lu the second year the i>lant, treated as above directed, will ])r()duce three or four branches, 

 the uppermost of which should form the continuation of the upright stem; and when the growth 

 is completed, in jSovember or December, this upright shoot is cut back to two or three eyes, un- 

 less it be furnished with flower buds, and in this case the shoot is not cut back till after flowering. 

 If the shoot be in such condition as that all its eyes appear likely to break in spring, it need not 

 be shortened at all. The same rules are applicable as regards the pruning and training of the 

 plant in the next and following years. It must be borne in mind, that under no circiimstanceB 

 should the Camellia be pruned when its sap is in active circulation ; for by so doing, the sap 

 rushes to cue, or two, at most, of the upper buds, and leaves the other inactive. For the 

 same reason, the herbaceous extremities, of growing shoots should not be pinched. 



Excepting in frosty weather the Camellia requires no heat during winter ; it av ill even bear, 

 without injury, two or three degrees of frost, so that, unless the winter is very severe, heating 

 may be dispensed with, provided warm coverings are employed. But when fire is necessary it 

 must be so managed as to maintain uniformity of temperature ; for great variations in this 

 occasion the droj>ping of flower buds. The hot-water mode of heating is doubtless the best: but 

 notwithstanding its advantages under certain circuinstance", I have been obliged to give it up, 

 because, in the country, it is very difficult to get workmen to fit up the apparatus properly. I 

 originallv adopted the system for heating my house ; but although I ])aid dearfy for the appara- 

 tus, it worked badly ; aud while it cost me nuich for fuel, it afforded but little heat, and I there- 

 fore had it t.vken away. For several years I have used small east-iron stoves, from 15 to 18 inches 

 in height, and about 1 foot in diameter. One or two of these, as may be necessary, I placed in- 

 side the house, on the footpath. A tube of sheet-iron is fitted to the stove and made to pass 

 through a square of tin plate adapted to the sash. A very small quanity of wood, and some dry 

 tan peats or some grape pressings, are sufficient to heat these stoves so as to give as much heat 

 as I require. I take care to remove any plants that may be too near the stoves ; and I moderate 

 the draught of the furnace by a damper in the sheet-iron tube, which is completely shut when 

 the fuel has given off its smoke. A pan of water is placed on the furnace, in order to give mois- 

 ture to the air. The stoves can be removed in a few minutes, and can be as qiiickly replaceil. 



Iq forcing the Camellia, the temperature must be very gradually raised. In commencing, 

 towards the end of September, the house should be kept warmer, by shutting up early, 

 and by covering at nights when these are cold. About the begining of December a little fire 

 heat should be given at night, bo as to raise the tempera-ture only 4° or 5° ; then it may be 

 progressively raised to 508" Falir. by the middle of December. Occasionally, and more especially 

 when the sun is bright, it is advisable to ejirinkle water on the footpaths ; the moisture thus 

 produced settles on the glass, moderates the intensity of the solar rays, swells the flower-buds, 

 and facilitates their expansion. Thus treated, Camellias will show their first flowers in the 

 beginning of January. 



The leaves of the Camellia should, at all times, be kept as clean as possible. I would advise 

 amateurs to do as I do myself ever}' autumn, and that is to wash every loaf, one by one, succes- 

 sively. I attach much importance to this operation, which I call the toilette of the Camellia. It 

 has not only a great influence upon the health of the plants, but it also gives a brilliancy and 

 freshness to the foliage, which enehances the beauty of the flowers. 



Notwithstanding all our care, some plants will become less liealthly than others. Robust as 

 the Camellia is, like all created beings it is subject to maladies, which neither science nor human 

 foresiglit can prevent. An amature, therefore, need not be astonished nor discouraged if, 

 among a number of plants, he should find some unhealthy. The indications are yellowness of 

 the foliage, weak and stunted growth, and dropping of the flower-buds. When such is the case, 

 the planta must be taken out of the pot ; the roots must be closely examined, and all that are 



