32 ON INARCHING THE MARCHIONESS OF EXETER CAMELLIA, &C. 



interior of the bed being so deep with the cooling retentive compost, 

 I have not had my plants suffer in the least degree by drought, since 

 1 adopted the system pursued, whilst at the same time I have 

 observed others perishing by multitudes. 



On taking up my roots, which are always fine, I find the fibres 

 abound quite at the bottom of the bed. I can most strongly recom- 

 mend the above as the best plan I have known practised ; and as a 

 well-bloomed collection, with their lovely and varied hues, presents 

 one of the most interesting and pleasing sights, I trust more readers 

 of the Cabinet will be induced to cultivate, what has been denomi- 

 nated the most lovely of floral beauties. 



ARTICLE V. 



ON INARCHING THE MARCHIONESS OF EXETER CAMELLIA 

 ON THE CAMELLIA RETICULATA. 



BY MR. GEORGE REYNOLDS, GARDENER AT ABDA1.E HOUSE, FLINTSHIRE. 



A figure of the fine Marchioness of Exeter Camellia appearing in 

 the Cabinet several years back, and being so much pleased with it, 

 I procured from Jersey, where it was raised, a good plant in 1840 ; 

 it grew vigorously, and bloomed finely in the spring of 1841, and 

 made a noble growth that season. Having two good plants off the 

 very large flowering species C reticulata, it struck me that if I 

 inarched the Marchioness of Exeter variety upon the stock of the 

 reticulata it would improve its size; I did so in 1842, and in 1843 

 the plant bloomed well, but not larger than the mother plant. It 

 bloomed again the last season, and its blossoms were considerably 

 larger than those on the parent plant. I am persuaded, from the 

 success I had in the much-improved size of the one tried, that if 

 others, say some of the most beautiful kinds, were worked upon 

 stocks of the C. reticulata, the size would be greatly improved. 



It has annually been a practice with me to thin the flower buds, 

 where there were more than one in a place, by only retaining one — the 

 bud was certain to remain, and the blossoms to be finer ; but. when 

 more are retained, that is twin flowers, or even more in a place, they 

 are very liable prematurely to fall off. I thin away the buds when 

 they are about as large as a marrow pea. My Marchioness of Exeter 

 Camellia, worked as above described, is now finely budded, and 



