The Camellia ; its Propagation. 



J05 



quire to be covered with a bell glass, carefully watered, placed 

 in bottom heat, and potted off as soon as rooted. The cut- 

 tings should be about an inch long, with one eye and a sin- 

 gle leaf attached, and should be planted nearly horizontally, 

 with the leaf upwards, just covering the eye with sand. If 

 the leaf damps off, the eye rarely grows. 



INARCHING. 



Inarching, or, as it is often termed, grafting by approach, 

 is the most certain and speedy mode of obtaining good plants, 

 and, until within a few years, since the French gardeners 

 have apphed their skill to the increase of the camellia, nearly 

 or quite all the plants were propagated in this way. Sup- 

 posing the stocks to have been obtained, as we have already 

 directed under the head of cuttings^ inarching should be done 

 as follows : — 



About the month of February or March, just before the 

 plants begin to grow, is the most favorable time to inarch. 

 It may be safely done in August, if more convenient; but the 

 plants are not so well able to bear rude winter treatment as 

 those inarched in March. To the amateur, March is deci- 

 dedly the best time. The operation is very simple. Select 



a good healthy stock, and pare off 

 ■ the bark and wood about two inch- 

 es in length, and about the twelfth 

 of an inch in thickness. Secure 

 the plant, so that it will not be 

 easily moved, within a suitable 

 distance of the branch intended 

 to be inarched, and then proceed 

 to cut away the bark and wood to 

 correspond with the incision made 

 in the stock ; fit the two parts 

 together, being careful that the 

 barks exactly join, and bind them 

 firmly with strong woollen yarn, 

 or bass matting, {Jig. 30.) At- 

 tend duly to the watering of the 

 plants, and, in two months, they will be united together. The 

 branch, however, should not be cut off at once. At the end 

 26* 



Fig. 30 Camellia, showing the 

 mode of inarching. 



