54 OBSERVATIONS ON THE CAMELLIA. 



To increase the most esteemed kinds, the operation of budding is 

 to he preferred, as every leaf with its hud will make a plant. To per- 

 form this operation is most successful when the sap flows freely (from 

 May to September), by inserting a bud with the leaf attached into 

 the stock, the same as you would in a rose tree, tieing it with bass, 

 taking care to keep the plant closely confined till the bud is united to 

 the stock, which will be in about six weeks or two months. 



Grafting is successfully performed by cutting down the stock to a 

 leaf as low as convenient : cut the hark down about two inches oppo- 

 site the leaf, open the bark with a budding knife, and insert the scion 

 inside the bark the same as you would the bud of a fruit tree; pre- 

 pare the scion by cutting it in a slanting direction, as you would the 

 scion of a fruit tree, tie it with bass, and confine it closely for two 

 months. 



The general, and, perhaps, the best plan adopted for increasing the 

 double varieties, is by inarching; this maybe performed almost at 

 any season, but the spring is best. To insure success by this method, 

 the operator must be careful to select stocks rather stouter than the 

 inarch intended to be united: he must then cut the bark of both 

 about one inch and a half alike, tie them together with bass, so as to 

 fit as neatly as possible ; the only care then will be to liberally supply 

 them with water, when they will be sufficiently united in two months 

 to separate. 



Camellias should be shifted as soon as they have ripened their 

 young wood and perfected their flower buds, which is about August ; 

 use two-thirds peat to one-third of rich maiden loam, as rougli as it 

 is possible, using, instead of crocks, somesiftings of peat and loam 

 for drainage. By no means over pot them, as they like to feel the 

 side of the pot. As the Camellia advances in age, they will recpiire a 

 more retentive soil ; use then half peat to half loam. As soon as they 

 have done blooming and beginning to grow, I would recommend the 

 assistance of fire heat to the amount of 55 degrees at night, and 

 60 by day. Syringe the house at four o'clock, keeping the 

 plants very moist till they have nearly completed their growth, when 

 syringing must be dispensed, with, and water sparingly, although not 

 allow them to be distressed for the want of it ; they will then soon 

 form the bloom buds for the next season ; they may then be removed 

 from the house to a shady situation in the open air, and liberally sup- 



