THE CAMELLIA AND TEA FAMILY. 553 



bottom-heat of 75 to 85, which induces them to root and 

 start into growth very quickly. Pot them off separately into 

 small sixty-sized pots, and set them closely in a moist and 

 partially- shaded case, where they will make a quick growth, 

 and being close together they draw up straight. Cuttings are 

 generally fit for grafting in about a year after they are rooted, 

 and may be worked either by side, cleft, or veneer grafting any 

 time from July to September, or indeed nearly all the year, if 

 the convenience of a heated propagating-pit is at command. 

 Side-grafting is generally adopted, a simple diagonal slit being 

 made downwards an inch or two above the soil, and into this 

 a wedge-shaped scion is inserted. The scions should be 

 formed of partly-hardened young shoots two or four inches in 

 length, the lower leaves being removed. In grafting, do not 

 head off the stock, but make a clean downward cut with one 

 stroke of a keen thin blade; then form the base of the scion by 

 two more clean sloping cuts, and insert its wedge-shaped base 

 into the cleft in the stock, taking care that the alburnum on 

 one side of the stock at least is covered by that of the scion. 

 No tying or mastic is requisite. Lay the grafted plants dia- 

 gonally in the plunging material at the bottom of a heated 

 case in the propagating-house, and keep them close for three 

 or four weeks, in which time a union will have been made 

 between the plastic -tissues, and the parts will appear as if 

 welded together. This is the best, quickest, and simplest 

 method of grafting Camellias, and is, generally employed in all 

 good nurseries at home and in Continental gardens. Even 

 cuttings are sometimes worked in this way, and rooted at the 

 same time. Where thick roots of common varieties can be 

 obtained, they may be tried as stocks. After the union is 

 effected, head off the stocks neatly, and grow on the young 

 plants in the usual way. Even shoots set with bloom-buds 

 may be grafted by a clever propagator, and in this manner 

 some pretty miniature blooming plants are to be obtained, 

 each bearing from one to four flowers and about as many 

 leaves, the whole plant being not above six inches in height. 

 M. Bause in 1868 grafted two or three dozen of C. reticulata 

 in this way a few weeks before their flower-buds expanded, 

 and these little bijou plants were much admired when ex- 

 hibited at South Kensington. Plants so treated would fetch a 

 good price in Covent Garden, and we recommend some of our 

 intelligent growers of decorative plants to give this plan a trial. 

 If the old single red Camellia is fertilised with pollen from 

 another variety it seeds freely, or seed may be obtained from 

 any of the semi-double forms, and sown as soon as ripe in pans 



