232 CALIFORNIA GARDEN FLOWERS 



but in the latter case needs a good stake against wind storms if it is 

 grown fast with high culture. The Scotch makes a relatively larger 

 show of foliage and stronger, upright growth, while the Spanish seems 

 to throw most of its force into flowers. 



Camellias. The Camellia japonica is quite hardy in California and 

 is a free winter bloomer, both on the coast and in the interior valleys. 

 It is very easily grown and requires no special treatment, except that 

 it must be watered moderately during the dry season, and it should be 

 placed so that it will not have the full force of the summer sun. Dur- 

 ing cold storms in January the open flowers are apt to be discolored 

 by the rain and the opening buds are sometimes injured by long rains 

 and temperature a little too low to force their opening; but the plant is 

 usually such a prolific bloomer that one is likely to get all the perfect 

 ones he has any use for. The Camellia does not awaken very deep 

 enthusiasm probably because of its wax-like, set rosette form and the 

 absence of fragrance; it seems stiff and cold, though its colors are 

 varied and rich. Camellias have reached greatest popularity in Sacra- 

 mento, where one can see over fifty kinds in full bloom in February in 

 the gardens, and there are several specimens over fifteen feet high and 

 carrying over a thousand flowers. The Camellia is held to be less satis- 

 factory in southern California than in the central part of the state. 

 Camellias will vary a great deal from the seed and seldom reproduce 

 the flowers of the parent plant. Usually small cuttings can be used to 

 good advantage; take wood of the last summer's growth, remove two 

 or three of the lower leaves, but leave the upper ones and plant in a 

 box of sand as described in the chapters on propagation. These cut- 

 tings should have constant moisture and a fair amount of heat, but the 

 soil should not be too wet, nor should it have direct sunshine. 



The test plant is a camellia of another species and has been successfully 

 grown in the state ever since the pioneers of 1850 made some tea near 

 Coloma in El Dorado County. Since then the plant has been grown as an 

 ornamental in different parts of the state, and it has been demonstrated 

 to succeed both in coast and interior situations. The requirements for 

 a thrifty plant are good soil and moisture enough for a free growth. 

 The plant is quite hardy. The insuperable objection to growth of tea 

 in California is the cost of labor. Probably labor in California would 

 cost five to ten times as much as in eastern Asia. 



Cassias. Cassia artimesioides is a winter and spring flowering 

 variety, rather dwarf and decidedly one of the prettiest of the cassias. 

 Its gray-green cut-leaved foliage is very attractive. 



Cantua. This low shrub with its small leaves (Cantau buxifolia) is 

 called "magic tree" perhaps from the bursting forth of long, tubular 

 flowers from its scant twig growth, which is indeed surprising. It 



