CAMBIUM 



158 



CAMELLIA 



CA'MBIUM. A thin layer of cells just inside the 

 bark, which, by the division .'of its cells, produces new 

 bark on its outside and new wood on its inside, by 

 which Dicotyledons and Conifers increase in thickness 

 every year. In winter it is quiescent, and is the only 

 layer of cells capable of further growth when plants 

 and trees recommence growing after their season of rest. 



CAMETLLIA. (Named after Camellus, a Moravian 

 Jesuit. Nat. ord. Theads, or Teaworts [Ternstromiaceae], 

 Linn. i6-Monadelphia, 8-Polyandria.) 



A good table-oil is extracted from the seeds of C. 

 olei'fera. Greenhouse evergreen shrubs. Inarching and 

 grafting, the latter mode entailing least trouble, using a 

 slight, sweet hotbed, and shading from bright sun until 

 the scions have taken : March and April is the best 

 time. Cuttings of ripened shoots ; every joint, if neces- 

 sary, will form one, inserted firmly in the sand ; set in a 

 close, shady situation, and, after a time, placed in mild 

 bottom-heat ; peat and loam, with a little cow-dung, 

 dried, and charcoal. Summer temp., 50 to 70, with 

 shade ; winter, 35 to 45. By bringing forward in a 

 vinery they may be induced to flower at almost all 

 seasons. It is by giving heat and a moist atmosphere, 

 after they have done flowering, to induce early growth, 

 and ripening them off later, that induces early flowering. 

 See GENERAL CULTURE. 



C. axilla'ris (axillary). See GORDONIA ANOMALA. 

 Bohe'a (Bohea). See C. THEIFERA. 

 Donckelaa'ri (Donckelaar's). Crimson, marbled white. 

 drupi'fera (drupe-bearing). 10. White. May. 



Himalaya, China, &c. 1818. 

 euryoi'des (Eurya-like). 4. White. May. China. 



1824. 

 Guiseppi' na-M ercate' Hi (Josephina Mercatelli's). 



White, with a few red stripes. 1881. 

 hongkonge'nsis (Hongkongese). China. 1859. 

 japo'nica (Japanese). 10. Red. May. China. 1739. 

 a'lbasemidu'plex (white semi-double). 10. White. 



March. China. 1822. 

 Albe'rti (Prince Albert's). Red. White. May. 



China. 1839. 



ela'ta (tall). Bright crimson. May. 

 imbrica'ta (imbricated). 10. Crimson. March. 



China. 1824. 

 pcsonicefto'ra a'lba (pa?ony-flowered-white). 10. 



White. February. China. 1820. 

 Pa'rksii (Park's). 10. Bright rose. February. 



China. 

 reevesia'na (Reeves's). 10. Crimson. September. 



China. 1829. 

 ro'sea (rosy- flowered). 10. Rose. February. 



China. 1821. 

 sabinia'na (Sabine's). 10. White. February. 



China. 1824. 

 specio'sa (showy). 10. Deep red. March. China. 



1824. 



Kis'si (Kiss'). See C. DRUPIFERA. 

 maliflo'ra (apple-flowered). See C. ROS^EFLORA. 

 muta' bilis (changeable). See C. JAPONICA. 

 olei'fera (oil-yielding). See C. SASANQUA. 

 reticula'ta (netted). 6. Red. April. China. 1824. 

 flo're pie' no (double-flowered). China. 1820. 

 rosceflo'ra (rose-flowered). 3. Pink. China. 

 Sasa'nqua (Lady Bank's-Sasan). 4. White. Febru- 

 ary. China. 1811. 

 anemonceflo'ra( Anemone-flowered). Yellow, white 



China. 

 ple'na-a'lba (double-white). 4. White. February. 



China. 1824. 

 ple'na-ru'bra (double-red). Red, February 



China. 1818. 

 se 'mi-pie' 'na (semi-double). 4. Red. February 



China. 1811. 



specta' bilis (showy). See C. RETICULATA. 

 T^'a(Tea). See C. THEIFERA. 

 thei'fera (tea-bearing). 3 to 10. White. China. 



1768. " China Tea." 

 assa'mica (Assamese). 3 to 15. White. Assam. 



1846. " Assam Tea." 



CAMELLIA CULTURE. Propagation. The old single 

 red (C. japonica) and many of the double varieties may 

 be propagated from cuttings, but it is a general practice 

 to graft the best double varieties on established plants 



of the C. japonica, which is of very free growth. The 

 ordinary double white will do well from cuttings. The 

 best time to take cuttings is as soon as the new spring 

 growth is fairly well matured, and before it gets too hard. 

 Cuttings should be about four inches long, cut off quite 

 close below a leaf, and two or three of the lower leaves 

 removed. The cutting pots should have good drainage 

 and filled firmly with a compost consisting of equal parts 

 of loam, peat, and sand, with a little extra sand on the 

 surface ; plunged in a close frame where there is a moderate 

 bottom-heat and a cool surface, they will soon callus, 

 and a little later on make roots. Some water will be 

 necessary, but avoid over-watering. A slight sprinkling 

 overhead will be all that is necessary for the first few 

 days. Pot off singly as soon as they are well rooted, 

 using fibrous loam with some leaf-mould and sand added ; 

 if the loam is heavy, some peat may be used. When 

 first potted water moderately, and syringe lightly once a 

 day. They may be kept close and given a little heat to 

 start them, and later on gradually exposed, when they 

 will soon be ready to be placed under the ordinary treat- 

 ment of the older plants. 



By Grafting. This may be done any time during the 

 dormant season, that is, usually from September until 

 February. It is, perhaps, preferable that the grafting 

 should be done in J anuary, or just before new growth 

 commences ; and if placed in warmth for a short time 

 before using them it will be an advantage. It has been 

 recommended that one-year-old stocks are suitable, yet 

 those two years old or even older are much more satis- 

 factory. The scions (or grafts) should be taken from 

 well-ripened shoots of moderate size. Of the various 

 methods of grafting, what is known as side-grafting is 

 most generally in practice. Tongue-grafting is also 

 favoured by some growers (see GRAFTING). In perform- 

 ing the operation, the first thing is to have a thin, sharp 

 knife, which should be kept quite clean, also wipe the 

 stems of the stock plants to remove any grit or dirt. 

 Make the incision in the stock first, then cut the scion to 

 fit as near as possible. If the stock is larger than the 

 scion, the latter must be so placed that the bark of each 

 meet on one side, but a neater joint is made where the 

 stock and scion are of equal size. After grafting, they 

 should be placed in a close frame, or under hand-glasses 

 in the greenhouse. If a little bottom-heat has been 

 given to the stock plants to induce root action before 

 the grafting, a warmer surface may be given to draw the 

 sap upwards after the grafting is done. Where the tops 

 of the stocks are left on when grafting, they should be 

 cut off close to where the scion is united, as the callus 

 is formed, and this requires some care. Pitch is some- 

 times used to cover the cuts. It is by careful attention 

 to small details that success is attained. 



General Culture. In the old editions of this work it 

 is stated that by bringing forward in a vinery they may 

 be induced to flower at any season. We have seen them 

 in flower early in September, and up to quite late in the 

 spring. It would be fatal to put plants in heat to in- 

 duce them to flower early ; when given too much warmth 

 to induce early flowering the buds almost invariably 

 fall off. We have seen the same effect in a conservatory. 

 With changeable weather there may be a few days of 

 frost, and heat is given ; then a sudden change comes and 

 the house gets warm, and a little later the temperature 

 falls ; then when a rise of temperature occurs again the 

 buds fall this is caused through the sap becoming con- 

 gested at the base of the buds, and when circulation 

 should start again the sap cannot flow. It may take a 

 few years to get Camellias to flower early. If desired 

 to have them in flower before their natural period (which 

 may be given as from January to April), as soon as 

 the plants have done flowering they should be given 

 heat and moisture to hasten on growth. When they 

 have made good growth, they should be gradually 

 hardened off and will set their buds early. This treat- 

 ment year by year will cause them to flower earlier each 

 successive season. During the summer well-established 

 plants may be placed out in the open, and remain until 

 late in the autumn. When taken under glass again care 

 is necessary to keep them well supplied with water, and 

 avoid a rise in temperature. 



Potting. This should be done as soon as possible after 

 the buds are set. The compost for potting should con- 

 sist of good fibrous loam, leaf-mould, with sand and a 

 little bone rneal added. Give good drainage, pot firmly, 



