64 NAT. OllDEK. — COLUMNIFER.E. 



The pots should be well drained with pieces of potsl.crd, tliat they 

 may not get soddened with too luuch wet, as nothing injures tliem 

 more tlian over watering, particularly when they are not in a grow- 

 ing state. When growing freely, they can scarcely have too much, 

 and they should he watered all over the leaves with a fine rose-pot 

 They are readily increased by cuttings or inarching on the connnouer 

 kinds. The cuttings should be taken off at a joint, as soon as they 

 are ripened, and planted in sand mider a hand-glass, «here they will 

 soon strike root ; when this is the case, they should be planted singly 

 into small pots, and set in a close frame, and they must afterwards 

 be hardened to tlie air by degrees. 



Camdias have the best effect, and are grown to most advantage, 

 in a house entirely devoted to them. Such a house should be rather 

 high than otherwise, as the plants never look so well as Avhen six or 

 eight feet high, trained in a conic form, and clothed A^ith 

 branches from the root upwards. The plants should be raised near 

 to the glass by means of a stage; which should be so contrived that 

 as they advance in height it may be lowered in proportion ; only the 

 very best crown glass should be used, because it is found that th6 

 least inequality of smface or thiclcness of material, so operates on the 

 sun's rays as to concentrate them, and burn or produce blotches on 

 the leaves. When the plants ai'e in a gi'owing state they require to 

 be liberally watered, and to have a gi'eater degree of heat than that 

 which is usually given to green-house plants. If this heat and wa- 

 tering is not given in November and December, the plants will not 

 expand their blossoms freely, neither will vigorous shoots be suppli- 

 ed after the blossoming is over. The plants produce better flowers 

 from November to April than in the smnmer months, although they 

 are sometimes to be had all the year roimd. They delight to be kept 

 damp all the summer months, and a little sliaded from the strong 

 sun. Give them plenty of water all the time they are making their 

 young shoots. They may also get a gentle sprinkling over the leaves 



