300 ON INCKiJASlNG THK CAMELI.IA. 



and April will have the better chance to succeed, although those whicli 

 are operated on in February answer pretty well. 



Ghafting. — Side-grafting (as before mentioned) resembles whip or 

 tongue-grafting, but differs in being performed on the side of the stock 

 without being iieaded down. Having fixed on those branches where 

 shoots are wanted to furnish the head or any part of the plant, then 

 slope off the bark and a little of the wood, and cut the lower ends of the 

 scions to fit the part as near as possible ; tlien pin them to the branch/and 

 secure tiiem with bass, and clay them over as any other sort of grafting. 



Inarching, ok Grafting by Appkoacu. — Perform this any time 

 from the beginning of February to tiie end of jMarch ; fix the pot con- 

 taining the stock securely, then cut with a sharp knife a thin piece from 

 the side, about two inches long ; make a small notch downwards, at the 

 top of this, and prepare the branch to be inarched after the same 

 manner, but make the slit upwards. Fit the tongue of this brancii into 

 the notch of the stock, join the rind of one to that of the other, tie them 

 well together with matting, rub on a little clay to keep out the air, 

 and they will be united in a month or six weeks ; when joined, loosen 

 the bandages, but do not remove them until some time after the scions 

 are separated from the parent plant. 



By Layeus.^ — A branch of one-year old wood may be laid in a pot, 

 or otherwise, as most convenient, any time from the middle of August 

 until the beginning of March. With a sharp knife make an incision 

 halfway through the wood, and half an inch long on the under side of 

 the branch, just below a good bud ; slightly twist the branch so as to 

 lodge tlie tongue or cut-part on the soil, peg it down, and cover it with 

 mould. 



Budding. — This is performed any time from the beginning of Oc- 

 tober to the end of November, the wood having just become perfected, 

 and the season being cool. The manner of doing it is similar to what 

 is done with the Rose. "When the buds are inserted, the pots are plunged 

 up to the rim in a bark bed of gentle heat. This induces the sap to 

 rise, and the buds soon adhere to the stock. I have adopted this me- 

 thod of treatment for several years, and seldom have a failure, so very 

 certain is the operation to succeed. 



Whilst treating upon propagation, it may not be amiss to add a 

 remark or two upon my mode of culture, which has not been exceeded 

 by any I have seen elsewhere, and I recommend the following attention 

 be paid to each particular. 



Soil. — The best soil for Camellias is one part heath mould, one part 

 well-sifted leaf mould, and two parts brown loam from a pasture; if 

 leaf mould cannot be had, use very rotten dung, and mix a small por- 

 tion ; break the loam and heath mould fine in preference to sifting it. 



Potting. — Always make it a rule to pot each plant immediately 

 after it has done flowering, and before it begins to grow. If the roots 

 are not matted, merely turn out the plants and replace them in larger 

 pots; but if matted, break the mass of roots carefully with the hand, 

 and never follow the destructive practice of paring with a knife ; lay 

 plenty of potsherd at the bottom of the pots, and with a flat stick work 

 the soil round the sides of the ball. 



