THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 187 



T. Assamensis also furnish leaves of a character suited for the same 

 domestic purpose. The Theas, however, are far less ornamental 

 than the true Camellias ; they are all white-flowered, nearly hardy, 

 and flourish well in a cool house, where they require as much air 

 and very nearly the same treatment as Ericas. Specimens of the 

 tea-shrub have been known to survive the winter out of doors near 

 London, and, as we shall show in the course of this paper, the 

 Camellia may also be grown in the open air, and, with some few 

 precautions, used as a shrubbery and border plant. The species of 

 Camellia known in our collections are Japonica euryoides, Kisii, 

 inaliflora (apple-flowered), oleifera, from which a valuable culinary 

 oil is obtained, reticulata, and Sasanqua. Next to Japonica, Sa- 

 sanqua is the most ornamental, and some of its varieties— as, for 

 instance, plena alba (double white), plena rubra (double red), and 

 semi-plena (semi-double) — are worth a place in any general collec- 

 tion ; but Japonica leaves them all behind in foliage, habit, and the 

 splendour of its flowers ; and it is no wonder that its varieties have 

 been multiplied by hundreds by careful hybridizing and the aeci- 

 dent% of horticultural practice. 



General Treatment. — The majority of cultivators prefer to pur- 

 chase plants of the varieties that enjoy the highest popularity, and 

 but few concern themselves in propagation either by seed or other- 

 wise. We shall, however, offer some specific instructions on all the 

 various modes of increasing stock, and raising new varieties, but here 

 confine ourselves to such generalities as bear more or less on the 

 management of the Camellia in every season of the year. The plants 

 are now out of bloom, and are pushing their new growth ; this new 

 growth will supply the bloom-buds for next season, and the task of 

 the cultivator is to promote that growth, and get it well ripened 

 before the season closes. An excess of li^ht is altogether inimical 

 to the prosperity of Camellias ; hence we see them do well in the 

 old-fashioned dark houses, against which we are apt to level our 

 abuse when comparing them with the structures of the present 

 day. The buds begin to push, indeed, before the bloom is fairly out, 

 and often under disadvantageous, circumstances, for the plants may 

 ba used to decorate apartments where the air is far too dry for them. 

 In such cases the foliage should be sprinkled morning and evening, 

 and the roots kept well supplied with water slightly tepid, so as to 

 pr vent exhaustion till they can be got back into their proper 

 growing quarters. The future well-doing of the plants depends en- 

 tirely on the maintenance of a strictly seasonal action ; they will not 

 break and bloom at any season, like geraniums and other soft-wooded 

 plants, but must have their time of quick growth, and a long season 

 of comparative rest. Therefore they cannot be too soon encouraged 

 to grow after having bloomed ; and a moist atmosphere, and a tem- 

 perature averaging (55° by day and 55° by night, with plenty of air, 

 and shade from sunshine, are essential to success. In such a tem- 

 perature, and with free ventilation, the Camellia will make rapid 

 and healthy growth if frequently syringed and kept very moist at the 

 root. Drought at this season is ruin to it; if the floor and walls 

 are deluged with water, so as to keep the atmosphere saturated with 



Jure. 



