24 MONOGRAPHY OF THE GENUS CAMELLIA. 



being no evaporation, the fall of the buds is the inevitable consequence of 

 such an untimely operation. In the summer, on the contrary, when the 

 Camellia is in the open air, it should be watered in the evening, because the 

 water contributes to maintain the coolness of the earth during the night, and 

 the plant bathed in this congenial humidity, recovers from the absorbing 

 effects of the ardent heat of the day. 



It is not sufficient, however, to moisten the roots of the Camellia. When 

 the temperature of the green-house rises too high, which often happens, 

 during the months of May and June, — for our advice is, to leave the Ca- 

 mellia in the green-house until the end of June, — the leaves of this plant 

 require, that the salutary humidity in which they delight, should be given to 

 them at that time, when they are exposed, in the shade to the open air. A 

 syringe or hand pump is made use of, to cause the water to fall upon the 

 leaves of the Camellia in fine drops like a gentle shower of rain. The water 

 should be of a medium temperature. This mode of watering, which is so 

 beneficial to the Camellia, when it is in the green-house, in the latter part 

 of the spring, is still more so, if it is frequently done in summer, when this 

 shrub is exposed to the open air. We think it also very beneficial, at this 

 time to water the surrounding ground on which the plants stand, to restore 

 to the air, a part of its elasticity, and to the plants those vapors from which 

 they derive their serial nutriment. 



But although the waterings properly attended to, have a favorable effect 

 on the vigor of the Camellia, yet if they are too long neglected, the con- 

 trary result is produced from the aridity of the earth in the pots, which is 

 the consequence of such omissions. A too great dryness of the earth, attacks 

 this shrub in its roots, and when that is the case, there are no means of arrest- 

 ing the evil. Peat earth, on becoming dry, is incapable of absorbing water, 

 or if it permits its passage, it is only in the form of an infiltration, and does 

 not take place except when the water meets no obstacle and passes through 

 the pot, without refreshing the roots of the perishing plant. The Camellia, 

 when the waterings have been long neglected, does not exhibit any symp- 

 toms of suffering, but is soon despoiled of its leaves; the wood becomes 

 shrivelled and stunted, the buds fall off, and death speedily follows. 



To restore the Camellia to life, when this evil is not incurable, it is neces- 

 sary immediately to repot it, giving to it fresh earth, cutting it down short. 



