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JOtJBKAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ April 9, leee. 



kept dry until the following spring, and where a suitftble 

 place, neither so dry as to shrivel, nor so damp as to rot thftm, 

 can be had, no doubt this plan gives ample satisfaction ; yet 

 lliey keep much bettor if laid, when large quantities of them 

 are used, in long narrow heaps, misled with sand, and care- 

 folly covered like Potatoes, care being taken, of course, to 

 esclude both frost and rain. In spring they start more freely 

 and at a lower temperature than those kept in a dry loft or 

 room. Nature is in this, although not in every case, the best 

 teacher.— Ateshiee GAKCEKEti. 



CAMELLIAS. 

 I DO not suppose that it is needful that a person should grow 

 a whole houseful of plants of any one kind to enable him to 

 speak with any degree of experience on their cultivation, but 

 that the same treatment which is found beneficial for a dozen 

 plants is likely to be equally good for fifty or a hundred. I 

 know that in reading the details of cultivation given from time 

 to time in The Jouenal of Horiici'lture I never stop to 

 inquire what is the number of the plants the cultivator grows, 

 feeling that if I see good common sense, and am told that the 

 plan has bean successful, it is of very little moment to me 

 what number of the particular plant he has under his care, 

 and I am ready to take a hint from him, whether he be a large 

 or a small grower ; and, therefore, although my Camellia-grow- 

 ing is only in a very small way, yet the results that I have ob- 

 tained are to me so satisfactory, that I may be pardoned, per- 

 haps, if I detail it, and add a few notes on varieties. 



There was a considerable amount of controversy last year in 

 the Journal about the proper way to grow them. It interested 

 me, and it seemed to me that the balance of argument was on 

 the side of Mr. Pearson, of Chilwell, and I adopted in conse- 

 quence his plan— ;".<• , I potted the Camellias in quite fresh 

 loam taken olif a pasture, about an inch in thickness, and torn 

 ap into small pieces about an inch square. I did this as soon 

 as the plants were out of bloom, just as they were beginning 

 to make their fresh shoots, taking care not to overpot them. 

 They were then kept in a cool vinery, where the Vines were 

 just beginning to start, and kept syringed twice a-day. After 

 remaining here until the shoots had acquired their full growth, 

 they were removed into the front greenhouse facing the south, 

 and placed on the front shelf with a blind of thick tiffany 

 stretched over them. Here they were syringed as before ; they 

 were never put out of doors, never exposed to the weather in 

 any way ; and whether from these causes or not I do not know, 

 but certainly I have never grown Camellias with anything like 

 the satisfaction I have done these, for I had a quantity of 

 bloom — so much so, that I was obliged to take off a large num- 

 ber, and had even then on a plant of Jubilee in a 32-pot 

 nineteen blooms large and full. These results justify me in 

 going on in the same way, and I shall certainly never adopt 

 any other plan as long as I grow them. That equally favour- 

 able results may be obtained by other means I will not deny ; 

 the Ghent growers, for example, grow their Camellias almost 

 exclusively in peat and leaf mould, and nothing can be better 

 than theirs are. Still, having tried that and seen the superiority 

 of those grown as I have detailed, I intend to adhere to Mr. Pear- 

 son's method of treatment. They like plenty of water and 

 shade, and I prefer giving them both by artificial means rather 

 than placing ;them under trees and getting the heavy rains 

 ' upon them. 



With regard to varieties, there are, as may be seen by refer- 

 ing to the Belgian catalogues, a vast number ; but, as with every 

 other flower, the lists contain many very inferior varieties, 

 while in almost every colour now there are sorts whose shape 

 and appearance it seems impossible to surpass. The following 

 aorta I have grown myself, and give my opinion of them for 

 what it is worth, holding as I do in this as in other flowers, 

 that shape is of the greatest consequeuce : — 



1. SAE.iH Frost, said to be of American origin ; but wherever 

 it comes from, a most beautiful flower, of a deep rosy pink 

 colour, beautiful in shape, large and full. The habit of the 

 plant, too, is excellent. Altogether first-rate. 



2. CoNTESsA Latinia Maggi, a large, fine, striped flower, 

 decidedly of the deep Carnation-striped flowers the very best 

 we have. It lias a tendency at times to come semi-double, my 

 plant this ye j r having produced several flowers of this character, 

 and showing the stamens, but it is a noble flower. 



3. Mbs. Abbey Wilder, an exquisitely-shaped white flower, 

 most beautifully imbricated and pure in colour ; its habjt 

 also is very good, and it flowers very freely. 



4. CoMTESsE BocTouRLiN, a large rosy carmine flower, some- 

 what flat but striking in appearance ; it is one of the large 

 handsome-foliaged varieties. 



5. Mrs. Cope, an exquisite flower, white, faintly striped 

 with pink ; foliage small and neat ; habit of the plant pyra- 

 midal. Altogether a desirable variety. 



6. MoNTiRONi, an old and well-known favourite, white, good 

 habit, and free. 



7. Jubilee, another well-known flower of Messrs. Low, of 

 Clapton ; it is of most admirable habit, and very fine. My 

 plant this year was a perfect picture. 



8. Ddchesse de Berfi, an exquisitely shaped white flower, 

 but the bud is large and hard, and I have found a difficulty in 

 getting it to open ; when it does it is very lovely. 



9. Magnificent, a flower of very great size, deep rosy car- 

 mine ; but I have found it so very double and so hard to open, 

 that I have after two seasons given it up ; moreover, it is some- 

 what coarse even when it does open. 



10. Jenny Lind, an exquisite flower, faintly but regularly 

 striped with pink ; nothing can be more charming in its way 

 than this is. 



12. Heine ces Beautes, a lovely flower, beautiful delicate 

 blush, of very fine shape, and well deserving of its name. 

 It is said to be a sport from Mrs. Abbey Wilder, and partakes 

 very much of the character of that flower. 



13. Mrs. Dombrain, a beautiful delicate light pink flower, 

 shape excellent, habit good. It is quite a new variety, and not 

 very well known, but it is very fine. 



14. BuBENs, a small red flower, worth growing for the re- 

 markable endurance of its blooms, which remain for a very 

 long time on the plant without fading. 



15. Candidisshia, an old variety, pure white, and well deserv- 

 ing of a place in any collection. Its habit does not seem to 

 me to be very good. 



16. Saccoi Nova, another old sort, vigorous in growth, and 

 very free ; well worthy a place in a collection. 



17. CoMTE Bernaedino Lechi, a new sort, which has not 

 flowered quite yet ; it seems to be a large flaked flower, and 

 promises well. 



18. Cup of Beauty, an exquisite light flower, of first-rate 

 shape and quality. 



19. Countess of Orkney, a fine flower, of large size and ex- 

 quisite shape, beautifully flaked with bright rose. 



20. Auquste Delfosse, a bright red flower, but somewhat 

 starry and faulty in shape. 



21. Imbricata, an old and well-known flower of fine shape, 

 red colour, and vigorous habit. 



22. Double White, an old and very favourite flower, pure 

 white, of good habit. 



23. Fimeriata, quite a gem, pure white, the edges of the 

 petals beautifully fringed ; a general favourite. 



24. Mathotiana, a very large, nay enormous flower, very re- 

 markable in appearance, but somewhat coarse. 



I believe a very good selection may be made from these. I 

 prefer No. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 1.5, 18, 19, 21, 22, and 23. 

 Doubtless there are many others vei-y good, but I only write of 

 those which have bloomed under my own eye. — D., Deal. 



PELAEGONIUMS. 



I msH to publish this short note on the very remarkable 

 growth of a few Pelargoniums placed under my care. 



Amij Hogfi. — Colour bright purplish rose, flowers in very 

 large trusses. This was a small cutting struck in August last. 

 It has grown very freely. Some of my plants measure 2 feet 

 through, and are beautifully formed. 



DiicJicss is a soft rose lake, and is said to be of dwarf habit, 

 but is a very strong grower here. It has immense foliage, the 

 leaves measuring 9i inches by 8 inches. The plant is young, 

 being only the same age as Amy Hogg. 



Cidfurd liosc is another, and, perhaps, the best of the Zonal 

 Pelargoniums. It has most beautiful foliage, almost as orna- 

 mental as that of a Gesnera. Its leaves measure 9 inches by 

 7{ inches. 



Magenta is also a fine sort. 



Clipper, Baron Eicasoli, Beaton's Indian Yellow, Black 

 Dwarf, Dr. Lindley, and Orange Nosegay, are fine for growing 

 as bedding plants, as well as for pot culture. They ought to 

 have a place in every flower garden. When grown well they 

 look magnificent in a conservatory. I have had them one mass 

 of bloom in June, July, August, and part of September. It is 

 as well not to allow them to remain in flower later than the 



