THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 77 



cations during a week will be sufficient, and of the latter there must 

 be a constant and free admission daily, even during frost, provided 

 the atmosphere be calm and clear ; but when this is the case, the 

 aperture should generally be covered with a mat. The way of giving 

 air is by tilting the lights from half-an-inch to two inches high at the 

 back, which must be regulated by the heat which is contained in the 

 bed. During night the lights must always be covered with mats, 

 and if the heat is strong and the weather should be mild, they may 

 be left tilted about half-an-inch. Whenever the bed shows symptoms 

 of a decrease in the temperature, it must be supplied with linings, 

 and this is done by applying hot dung, fifteen to eighteen inches 

 wide and six or eight inches higher than the bed, to allow for settling, 

 all round the bed ; this will increase the heat to it-i original strength, 

 and whenever it is becoming exhausted these old linings must be 

 removed, and fresh ones applied. The temperature of the cucumber 

 frame should never be below 70° or above 95°. 



{To he continued.) 



ON THE CULTUKE OF THE CAMELLIA. 



[HE soil best adapted to the growth of Camellias is a 

 mixture of peat, earth, and loam in nearly equal pro- 

 portions ; when the loam is peculiarly light and sandy, 

 a less quantity of peat is requisite. 



The earth should be well mixed, and passed through 

 a coarse sieve, reserving the detached portions of peat and loam that 

 will not pass the sieve, to fill the bottom of the pots, thereby 

 securing a free drainage — a circumstance indispensable to the 

 success of the plants. The proper season for the general shifting is 

 when the young growth has hardened, and the blossom-buds for 

 next year can be detected at the extremity of the shoots. After 

 shifting all those that require it, they may be placed in the open air, 

 or retained in the greenhouse, according to the season they are 

 wanted to flower. If kept in the greenhouse, as much air as possible 

 should be admitted, and occasionally sprinkling the foliage will 

 improve the appearance, as well as be beneficial to the health of 

 the plants. 



At all times attention must be paid to watering them properly, 

 the roots being apt to become matted in the pots, so as to render 

 the ball of earth impervious to moisture ; hence it is necessary to 

 see that the ball of earth is moistened by the water poured upon it, 

 instead of the web of fibres only. This renders an examination of 

 the roots, and reducing or pruning them, at least once a year, a 

 measure almost indispensable. At the respected periods of growth 

 and flowering, the plants will require plentiful watering; during fcbe 

 latter, if not regularly supplied, the bloom-buds will infallibly fall 

 off", instead of expanding into flower; at other times a regular 

 moderate supply is essential. The eil'ect of constautly watering may 



March. 



