210 ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE CAMELLIA. 



both weakly and short. Always make it a rule to syringe them every 

 morning and evening when in a growing state, and if the sun shines 

 powerfully, shade them slightly. I have seen them, under these cir- 

 cumstances, to flourish and look far better, both at this time and the 

 time of flowering, than when exposed to the sun's rays during any 

 period of the season. Water them freely, and give as much air as the 

 weather will permit. As soon as the young shoots have done growing, 

 which is easily perceived, raise the heat to eighty degrees by day, and 

 from sixty-five to seventy degrees by night. This increase of heat 

 enables them to form their flower buds with greater facility and strength, 

 and in far greater quantities. You must particularly observe this in- 

 crease of heat ; it ought to be applied immediately they have perfected 

 their shoots, before they come to a woody texture, for, if delayed until 

 the wood becomes hard, it has not the desired effect, of producing 

 abundance of flower-buds. When they have completely set their buds, 

 which will be in about three weeks or a montli after they are subject to 

 this increase of heat, gradually decrease the heat until about the end of 

 June, when tiiey will be sufficiently hardy to stand out of doors. Be 

 careful to place them in rather shady situations, for if placed where 

 they are exposed to the sun's rays, the leaves are not only liable to be 

 blotched and unsightly, but the plants are apt to push their flower- 

 buds prematurely. This is the great reason why the flower-buds fall off' 

 without properly coming into flower ; too sudden iieat causes them to fall 

 and push forward too rapidly ; and, on the contrary, a decrease of 

 warmth at that time checks their growth, and in that case causes them 

 to fall. It is astonishing how very easily the flower-buds, when nearly 

 ready to expand, are acted upon by either heat or cold ; the variation 

 of only a few degrees will considerably affect them at this time, parti- 

 cularly if it be in the winter season. In the spring so much care is 

 not required, as in general each succeeding day is a little warmer than 

 its predecessor, but in the winter months, when the weather is change- 

 able, and plants are only excited by artificial heat, the greatest care is 

 necessary, in order to keep them from advancing too much, and also 

 not to allow the temperature to decrease, for fear of the flower-buds. 

 If it be desired to flower them only in the natural time in the spring 

 months, they ought to be kept as cool as possible during winter, but as 

 the Camellia is so easy of culture, if moderate attention be paid to it, 

 no flowers can be better adapted to bloom during the whole of the 

 winter months, when but few plants cheer us by their expanding blos- 

 soms. Every precaution is necessary to prevent worms from effecting 

 an entrance to the roots ; if any do find tlieir way, as soon as possible 

 water them once or twice with a weak solution of lime water, which 

 will speedily make them come out. If the weather continues favour- 

 able, that is, without frost or excessive rains, do not take them into the 

 house again until October or perhaps the end of September, and keep 

 them in a cold situation till the blooming season. 



The foregoing observations apply to plants that are to produce 

 flowers at their usual season, but if they are wanted to flower in autumn 

 or winter, it is necessary they should be put into a growing state at 

 least a month earlier ; they should be taken out a month earlier in the 



