30S The Camellia; Repotting. 



or six months, turning it over once or twice to hasten de- 

 composition. If put together early in the spring, it will be 

 ready for use in July or August. With a good stock of this 

 on hand, a small quantity of peat, old manure, or leaf-mould, 

 and sand, a compost may be made in which the camellia 

 may be grown to the greatest perfection. The proper propor- 

 tions are tti-o parts of loam, — one part peat and one part leaf 

 mould or old manure, adding sand sufficient to give freeness 

 to the soil, which is usually about one eighth of the whole. 

 These should be well mixed together, by turning them over 

 several times, merely throwing out any large stones, and 

 breaking up the large lumps, but, on no account, should it be 

 sifted, as is too often done. For seedlings and young plants, 

 little more sand and peat may be added. 



Repotting. 



Next to a suitable soil, the operation of repotting is one 

 of great importance as regards the future health of the 

 plant. It would seem to most persons to be a labor requiring 

 no great art, simply to shift a plant from one pot to another; 

 but it is only those who have had the experience, who 

 can appreciate the difference between a plant ordinarily 

 potted and one skilfully done. In the former case, in many 

 instances, the plant may be taken out of the pot, six months 

 afterwards, with the ball just as it was when shifted, with- 

 out having made a new root, and in the latter, the roots 

 would have again become so numerous as to form another 

 compact ball. The art of potting mainly consists in prop- 

 erly removing the roots from the old ball, and in making 

 the soil sufficiently firm, without being hard. For, if too 

 firm, the water will not penetrate the earth, and, if too loose, it 

 will be so constantly saturated with water as to often cause 

 the death of the plants. 



The seasons of repotting are in the spring before the plants 

 begin to grow, and in summer, after they have ripened the 

 new wood, which is usually in July. The latter season we 

 greatly prefer, not only because there is more leisure to do 

 the work properly, but because the new soil does not get so 

 much exhausted before the time of flowering. The best 

 English cultivators repot in July and August. 



