MONOGRAPHY OF THE GENUS CAMELLIA. 21 



Other vegetable substances, which by gradually decaying, furnish, for a long 

 time, successively prepared new aliment for the plants. 



Before using peat soil, for repotting, it is best to break up the large 

 lumps with a mallet, or what is still better a little flail, for the purpose of 

 separating and removing the strong roots and stones j it is then passed 

 through a coarse hurdle, or the little lumps may be pulverized, by rubbing 

 them with the fingers. The soil thus prepared, is immediately used. Only 

 the earth or compost which is to be employed, for seeds, cuttings and layers 

 should be passed through a seive. 



Section 2. — Refotting. 



The spring is the most favorable season for repotting the Camellia. 

 This operation should be performed immediately after florescence, and be- 

 fore the sap begins to be in activity, which is generally, towards the end of 

 March. It may be done, however, in the autumn, or even between the two 

 periods of the flow of sap, which is in June or July. This process is per- 

 formed by removing the shrubs into pots about an inch deeper, and broader, 

 than those in which they have been growing. The time for doing it, is when 

 the ball of earth, which surrounds the roots, is a little dry. As much of the 

 old earth should be removed, as possible, by the fingers. All the dead and 

 wounded roots should be carefully extirpated. As it is very essentail, to 

 the future health of the plant, that the water which is used in irrigation, 

 should rapidly flow off, it is necessary that the bottom should be filled with 

 little pieces of broken pots, or what is better a quantity of coarse sand or 

 gravel, which prevents the water from remaining too long. We have been 

 in the habit of scattering, very lightly, quick lime, over the pile of peat soil, 

 or compost, which we use for repotting, as long experience has proved to us, 

 that this mineral body, prudently employed, gives a remarkable activity to 

 the vegetable qualities of the soil, with which it is incorporated. 



We do not insist on the dimensions of the pots, which should be used for 

 the Camellia, as that is an affair of taste and experience; but we should deny 

 as an unwarrantable assertion which is often repeated, that small pots are 

 best. Some horticulturists pretend, that to make this plant flourish well, the 

 roots should be restrained by a small pot; but the persons who practise this 

 method, have fallen into an error, which it is easy to refute, from the greater 



