CAMELLIA JAPONICA. 55 



we scarcely need add that in all essential points, the treatment is the same in both 

 cases. Put into a synoptical form, the different stages of its culture may be thus 

 briefly expressed : period of flowering — interval of rest — growth of shoots — forma- 

 tion and setting of flower-buds — potting — comparative rest. 



"We will suppose the plant to have passed the first or flowering period, upon the 

 window of a moderately warm apartment. As soon as the flowers have fallen, the 

 pot should be removed to a cool airy room, without a fire, and allowed to remain in 

 a comparatively dry condition, until the leaf-buds manifest a tendency to commence 

 growing. This will occur naturally about the end of April, and the plant must 

 then be removed to a wanner room, and supplied freely with pure water. At this 

 stage a moist atmosphere will be of great assistance to it, though in a sitting room, 

 or indeed in any ordinary apartment, it is difficult to obtain a medium that is at 

 once both warm and damp. Something may be done by sprinkling the plant 

 frequently with water, and if the surface of the soil in the pot is covered with moss, 

 kept constantly damp, the dryness of the air of the room may be to a great degree 

 counteracted. The plant must on no account be placed where it will receive the 

 direct rays of the mid-day sun, from which the young and delicate leaves would 

 receive injury ; a window of south aspect will therefore be objectionable, but almost 

 any other will do. If no other can be had, then the plant must be removed from 

 the front of the window when the sun shines brightly, or in some way or other 

 screened from its influence. 



All this may involve a little trouble ; but is is really only at this period that the 

 window gardener will labour under any disadvantage, and once the annual growth 

 of the plant accomplished, the rest of the treatment is of the easiest description. 

 The development of the new shoots generally occupies six or eight weeks, at the 

 end of which time the flower-buds will be formed, and the further growth of the 

 plant must then be checked, by removal to a cooler apartment, or the open air. If 

 after the blossom buds are formed, a high moist temperature is still maintained, the 

 plant will be stimulated to make a second, growth, the incipient flowers will in fact 

 produce a fresh crop of leaves and shoots ; our object must now be to assist in 

 maturing the flower buds, and ripening the wood already produced. This will be 

 best effected by placing the plant either under a north wall or hedge, or in some 

 other situation where it will receive an abundance of air, little or no direct sunshine, 

 and free supplies of water, both at the roots and overhead. The pot should on no 

 account be placed on the bare ground, a tile, slate, or layer of ashes should be inter- 

 posed to prevent the entrance of worms. 



There is a considerable difference of opinion among Camellia growers as to the 

 best period for potting, some preferring the spring before the plant commences its 

 growth, whilst others, and we believe the greater number, consider that this operation 

 should be postponed until after the shoots and flower-buds are formed, For 



