50 



CAMPANULA. 



■wall ; particularly if their roots are 

 protected during frosty weather. 

 It is a curious fact, that many ten- 

 der and half-hardy plants will grow 

 freely, and produce abundance of 

 flowers, if their roots and collars are 

 protected, in a temperature that 

 would kill them immediately, if 

 these tender parts were exposed to 

 the influence of the cold. Thus, 

 when Camellias are planted out, if 

 the roots are protected during winter 

 by mulching (that is, covering with 

 straw or litter), and the main trunk 

 is wrapped round for about six or 

 eight inches from the ground, with 

 a hayband, or any other covering, 

 the rest of the plant may be left 

 entirely exposed without its sus- 

 taining the slightest injury. Camel- 

 lias are commonly cultivated in 

 sandy loam and peat, and this soil 

 is perhaps the best for them when 

 they are grown in pots ; but when 

 they are planted out in a con- 

 servatory, or the open ground, they 

 vnll thrive exceedingly well in 

 sandy loam, mixed with rotten 

 dung, or leaf-mould. When the 

 plants are in a growing state, they 

 require abundance of water, both 

 at the roots and over the leaves ; 

 taking care, however, never to wet 

 the leaves when the sun is shining 

 upon them ; as, wherever this 

 occurs, the leaves become stained, 

 or blotched, and look as though they 

 were scalded. "When Camellias are 

 kept in a greenhouse or conserva- 

 tory, imperfections in the glass will 

 produce the same effect. The tem- 

 perature of the Camellia house 

 should be between fifty and sixty 

 degrees during the growing season ; 

 but when the flower-buds are f orm ed , 

 it may be lower, till the beginning 

 of winter, when the buds begin to 

 swell. At this season the tempera- 

 ture ought not to be suffered to fall 

 below fifty degrees, otherwise the 



] buds Avill be liable to drop off ; and 

 ! they will also drop, if watering be 

 i neglected. All the species and 

 ; varieties may be propagated by cut- 

 j tings, taken off at the base of a 

 I leaf, or at a joint, as soon as the 

 I wood has ripened, and planted in 

 : sand under a glass ; but the finer 

 I varieties are generally propagated 

 I by layering, and inarching, or graft- 

 ' ing. The French nurserymen have 

 1 a very rapid mode of procuring 

 I plants by grafting, which they effect 

 I under bell-glasses, in a strong moist 

 heat, with scions of the young wood, 

 on stocks formed of cuttings struck 

 the same season. From the Camel- 

 lia being an evergreen, and its leaves 

 being large, dark -green, and shining, 

 it makes a very fine appearance 

 against a conservative wall : and no 

 plant whatever is more magnificent 

 in a conservatory. It must be ob- 

 served that all the varieties of C 

 japonica cannot bear too much 

 heat, and they prefer the shade to 

 broad sunshine ; also that when 

 they are planted against a Avail, it is 

 better with a south-east aspect than 

 full south. C. Sasdnqua, and its 

 beautiful variety, C. S. Maliflbra, 

 are the most tender. C. reticulata 

 is quite a different species from C. 

 japonica, and it is certainly a noble 

 plant, from the large size and bril- 

 liant colour of the flowers. It was 

 first thought tender, but it is now 

 found to be quite as hardy as C. 

 japonica, only requiring a slight 

 protection during winter. 



^Ca]\ipa'nula. — Campamddcece. 

 —Beautiful herbaceous plants, na- 

 tives of Europe and Asia ; the greater 

 part of which are perennials, and are 

 , hardy in British gardens. There 

 are also some handsome hardy bien- 

 ' nials and annuals, and one or two 

 greenhouse species. Many of the 

 hardy perennials are dwarf plants, 

 : which produce a profusion of flowers, 



