CAMELLIA CULTURE. 51 



will harden their wood and form buds during July and 

 August. 



Perhaps only three-fourths of your stock will produce 

 buds this season ; some of the plants will have from two 

 to four buds. 



Do not encourage young plants to bud before the 

 fourth year. It will be more profitable to allow them to 

 get stronger and more healthy, and to grow low and 

 bushy. 



At this age the plants will want room on the benches. 



Camellias will not stand being crowded as well as 

 many other plants. 



Do not keep them too close together. 



Most of the plants will be from twelve to fifteen 

 inches high, with perhaps only two to three branches, as 

 the engraving shows. 



This plant is strong and shapely for its age, but if 

 allowed to grow without topping, it would become long 

 and straggling. 



Figure 18 represents alba plena three years old, with 

 from two to three inches of the top taken off. 



These tops are used for cuttings. 



In topping, alway cut back to a good prominent eye of 

 the past season's growth. 



In this way, you will soon get wood enough for cut- 

 tings, and the stock of alba plena will increase. 



The plant for the fourth year will be bushy and well 

 budded. 



