ON THE CULTURE OF THE CAMELLIA. 65 



plants, from two to three inches. An inch deep of drainage or 

 more for large plants should be placed at the bottom of each pot, 

 and a little moss put over it to keep the soil from mixing with the 

 drainage. A shift once in two or even three years will be sufficient 

 for large plants. 



Watering. — From the time they begin to make their young 

 wood till they have finished growing, they can scarcely be over- 

 watered ; bui during the winter season, if too plentifully 

 supplied, they will soon become sickly, and drop their flower 

 buds. For this no rule can be given : experience and observation 

 on the part of the cultivator can alone be a safe guide. The 

 plants should get a good syringing at least once a week during the 

 summer season, but more especially when making young wood. 



Situation. — This very popular family have the best effect, and 

 are grown to most advantage, in a house entirely devoted to them- 

 selves ; and as there are certain seasons in which they require a 

 treatment almost peculiar to themselves, their separate culture is, 

 therefore, the more necessary. Such house should be rather lofty, 

 as the plants never look so well as when eight or ten feet high, 

 trained in a conic form, and clothed with branches from the root 

 upwards. Where such a house cannot be had, they may be 

 grown to nearly equal perfection where there is the convenience 

 of a Vinery or Peach -house at work ; and where no such conveni? 

 ence can be had, by placing them in the warmest part of the 

 greenhouse, when making young wood and flower buds, a few of 

 the hardiest sorts will be found to do pretty well. 



Heat. — For this no rule can be given, unless they are grown in 

 a house entirely devoted to themselves. Where such is the case, 

 from 60 to 65 degrees will be sufficient for the first fortnight, and 

 afterwards increased to 70 or 75 degrees. All the striped sorts re- 

 quire more heat than the self-coloured varieties, more especially 

 when the ground colour of the flower is red ; unless such be given 

 when forming and maturing their flower buds, they very often 

 come one-coloured. This is more especially the case with va- 

 rieties Chandlerii, inslgnis, corollina, Allheaflora, $$c. ; whereas, 

 when grown to perfection, they are marked with large spots of clear 

 white. A little heat given in dull damp weather, at the flowering 

 season, will be found to be of very great advantage to the flowers. 



Scotland, January Hlh, 1836. Spectator. 



