198 GREEN-HOUSE OF SHIFTING, &C. [Feb. 



forenoon is the most proper time for the operation; the 

 seed will be ripe in September or October, which will be 

 taken notice of, and directions given. For other particu- 

 lars on cleaning and syringing, see January under this 

 head. 



OF SHIFTING, &c. 



The best time to repot Camellias is in October or No- 

 vember, or just when they are done flowering, which will 

 be before they begin to grow. There are, though not fre- 

 quently, some flowers after the young foliage begins to 

 appear, and probably it would be better to discriminate the 

 time by the buds offering to push, which will answer to 

 those that have no flowers as well as those that have. 

 The most general time in shifting Camellias is in August 

 and September, indiscriminately with other plants ; and, if 

 then not very gently handled, bad roots eventually are 

 produced. Frequently very fine plants have been killed 

 by probing, and breaking the young fibrous roots, thus 

 causing mortification. 



In the process do not, by any means, break or bruise any 

 of the roots ; and do not give large pots, with the idea of 

 making them grow fast: it acts on most plants diametrical- 

 ly opposite to what is intended. A pot one or two inches 

 wider and deeper than .the one they have been in previ- 

 ously, is sufficient. Healthy plants, under five feet, will 

 not require shifting oftener than once in two years ; from 

 five feet.upward, in three or four years, according to the 

 health of the plants. This treatment, in the opinion of 

 some, will appear insufficient for their support: it will be 

 found enough with a top-dressing every year to keep them 

 in a healthy flowering condition, the soil being according 

 to our description. 



On turning the plant out of the pot, it may easily be ob- 

 served if the soil has, in any degree, been congenial to it; 

 for, if so, the roots will be growing all round the ball ; if 

 otherwise, no roots Avill appear. 



Therefore, with a blunt pointed stick, probe away all the 

 bad earth, until you come to the roots ; then put the plant 

 in a pot about one inch in diameter larger than the com- 



