AprU 19, 1S77. ) 



JOUEXAL OP HOKXICULTUBE AND COTTAGK GAKDKNEJR. 



WEEKLY CALENDAR. 



planting-out. 



PLA.NTING-OUT CAMELLIAS. 



BELIEVE there are many more Camellias 

 gi'own in pots than planted-out in beds ; 

 but tbey can be cultivated to much greater 

 perfection in the latter than the former. 

 There are many people who grow Camellias 

 that have no meaus of planting them out, 

 and it is the last thing I would ask them 

 to do to give up Camellia-growing for that 

 reason, but there are many who possess and 

 do not avail themselves of the means of 

 Where many Camellias are grown it is not 

 advisable to plant them all out, as some are often wanted 

 in pots for a variety of decorations in different parts ; but 

 where it is desired to have large healthy plants to supply 

 almost an unlimited quantity of cut flowers over a long 

 period there is nothing will secure this to such an extent 

 as planting-out. 



Many Camellias are planted- out in the conservatory 

 here. They have bloomed exceedingly well this winter ; 

 veiy few buds have dropped, and the flowers have been 

 massive. At certain seasons there is much church de- 

 coration required. We cut blooms for this purpose from 

 two plants — a red variety, and the old Double White 

 (Alba plena), at Christmas, and have cut many ever since, 

 the same plants furnishing abundance of blooms for the 

 church again at Easter. Plants in pots would not have 

 supplied dowers half that time. 



No better time than the present could be chosen for 

 planting-out Camellias. In most cases the plants have 

 nearly done blooming, and the buds are just bursting into 

 leaf. Planting is best done when growth is slightly be- 

 gun, but at the same time to avoid a check growth must 

 not be advanced too far — not more, in fact, than just the 

 young leaves appearing. The first thing to be considered 

 in planting is to secure sufficient room for the roots. In 

 many greenhouses and conservatories there are centre 

 beds or borders along the back of the house ; these are 

 generally from 1 to 3 feet in depth and much more in 

 width, and no better place need be desired in which to 

 plant them than such as this. Our border is little more 

 than :i feet wide and about the same in depth, and some 

 of the plants in it are 10 feet high and proportionately 

 bushy. From this it may be inferred that good plants 

 may be grown with ordinary root accommodation. If 

 the border is naturally porous at the bottom, nothing need 

 be done in the way of adding drainage ; but otherwise 

 3 inches of broken bricks must be placed at the bottom 

 before putting in any soil. The kind of soil in which to 

 grow Camellias is considered to be of great importance 

 by some. My own opinion is, that it matters little what 

 kind of soil they are grown in when once the roots get 

 hold of it. Some of ours are growing luxuriantly in soil 

 which resembles that in the kitchen-garden quarters — a 

 great deal more than the continually recommended loam, 

 peat, and sand. Plants in an unhealthy condition will 

 recover quicker in a compost of this kind, but strong 

 healthy plants will grow in any kind of soil. About 



No. K8.— Vol. XXXII., New Seeies. 



three-quarters loam and one-quarter peat makes a good 

 mixture for them. 



In all cases the soil should be made firm before digging- 

 out the holes for the reception of the plants. In turning 

 the plants out of the pots remove all the old drainage, 

 and if the ball is matted with roots these must be cSa- 



] entangled as much as possible without breaking them. 



j The roots must not be deeply buried in the soil, the top 

 of the ball should not be more than 2 inches below the 

 surface when the whole has been completed. Press the 

 soil very firmly about the roots, and do not give any 



I water for a fortnight or three weeks after planting. I 

 find many plants including Camelhas start into growth 



I at the root much quicker in soil moderately dry than ex- 

 cessively wet; but although water is not given at the 



I roots for some time after planting, it must be daily ap- 

 plied to the foliage through the sjringe. This assists 

 greatly in softening the buds, especially when they are a 

 little shy in starting freely. 



As to temperature and other matters relating to the at- 

 mosphere, the plants will succeed very well under the con- 

 ditions of any ordinary greenhouse. A close warm atmo- 

 sphere is sometimes advised to assist them into growth, 

 and this will start them quickly, but I do not think there is 

 much advantage in it, as a hardy shoot 2 inches long made 

 in a cool place is worth more than one six times that length 

 which has been drawn-out in a close warm atmosphere. 

 When once Camellias are planted-out and established, 

 further than giving water at the root, they may be grown 

 in first-rate order with very little attention. — J. M. 



CHANGING SEED— CUTTING POTATOES. 



" M1S.4.PPREHENSION exists on the changing of seed," is 

 the opening remark of the article which you have pub- 

 lished on page 275, and I think the remark is true. I 

 write now in reference to Potatoes, and as many more acres 

 remain to be planted with this esculent than are already 

 planted, the subject may be opportunely alluded to. 



As remarked by the American writer, some varieties of 

 Potatoes seem to thrive especially well in some particular 

 soil and locality. When such is the case tbere cannot be 

 any advantage in changing the seed, provided the crops 

 are each year well cultivated, and the seed tubers have 

 been well selected, preserved, and prepared. In such a 

 case, and under such conditions, a variety does not de- 

 generate — " wear out." It is new, and fresh, and vigorous 

 every year, and will remain so during the life of the cul- 

 tivator. That is rather a bold statement, but I have 

 evidence of its truth. 



For more than twenty years an early variety of Potato 

 has been grown in a garden with which I am intimately 

 acquainted. The seed has never been changed, and the 

 crops are annually as fine as can be desired. Perhaps 

 they were better last year than during any previous year, 

 owing, it may have been, to some incidence of the season. 

 But on several occasions seed of the same variety has 

 been purchased from various sources, the tubers having ar- 

 rived in excellent condition and were subjected to precisely 

 No. 1130.— Vol. LVU., Old Series. 



