ON BLOOMING CAMELLIAS FOR A LENGTHENED PERIOD. 21 



free circulation of air, avoiding all cold winds. The main business 

 now is the concentration of those principles which form the future 

 blossom-bud, now in an incipient state ; strong action of the root 

 with free watering, and an overmoist atmosphere, will readily convert 

 the would-be blossom-bud into a second shoot. The plants are now 

 very sparingly watered ; in fact, a good smart syringing every after- 

 noon immediately the air was taken away, say four o'clock, is nearly 

 sufficient. A little fire is made every afternoon, except on warm 

 sunny days, about two o'clock ; but it is put entirely out about five 

 o'clock, as it is only requisite to warm the pipes or flues sufficiently 

 to produce a genial vapour for the night ; and half an hour after the 

 fire is pulled out, the flues and floor are saturated with water, to be 

 evaporated by the next day's ventilation. 



When the bud is formed it requires feeding ; and the fire is dispensed 

 with entirely, merely observing in the case of sunny afternoons to make 

 free use of sun-heat, by shutting up the house early in the afternoon, 

 say from three to four o'clock, according to the weather. Air is 

 given freely at all opportunities, and the plants are syringed heavily 

 at seven o'clock in the morning, and again at four o'clock in the 

 afternoon, saturating the floors and flues, or pipes, with water in the 

 evening. The plants are well watered at the root whenever they 

 require it, using liquid manure from old dung, in the proportion of one 

 part liquid manure to four of clean water. The plants now possess 

 abundance of new fibres, and their powerful action, assisted by liquid 

 manure occasionally, produces both a plump bud and a dark leaf, and 

 enables the plant to store up abundance of necessary food for the ex- 

 panding blossoms. 



At the time of blooming three objects are kept in view, viz. — the 

 complete development of the blossom-bud ; the retaining it on the 

 plant as long as possible afterwards ; and feeding the later blossom- 

 buds. Free watering, and the use of liquid manure as before recom- 

 mended, must be persisted in, avoiding exceES. The plants require to 

 be kept decidedly moist at the root while in the flowering state, rather 

 more so indeed than at any other period. Syringing is entirely dis- 

 pensed with, and in lieu thereof a deposit of dew t<tkcs place every 

 afternoon at three or four o'clock. My Camellias have been thus 

 treated all the past winter : and as it requires a little nicety to pro- 

 duce this tine dew without at the same time producing drip, I must 



