MONOGRAPHY OF THE GENUS CAMELLIA. 25 



and placing it under glass in a hot-bed, moderately hot, depriving it of the 

 air and sun, and watering it very moderately and only by degrees j above all, 

 do not soak the plant, with the ball of earth on it, in water, as is the prac- 

 tice with some gardeners 5 this sudden transition is very injurious, and will 

 complete that destruction which the dryness of the earth had commenced. 

 Another mode of saving the plant, is to put it in the open ground, under 

 the protection of glass, where it more promptly acquires its primitive vigor. 



The waters of fountains and wells, when they are selenitical or calcarious, 

 and even those of rivers, as they are often charged in their course with 

 various salts, are all injurious to the vegetation of the Camellia j and if any 

 of them are used, they should previously remain exposed to the action of 

 the sun for at least twentyfour hours. Rain water is preferable, and has a 

 salutary influence on the health of the Camellia. Not being saturated with 

 any of the saline principles, possesses the property of easily dissolving those 

 salts which are contained in the earth in which the plant is placed, and are of 

 the character which penetrate its tissue. 



But the best waters for the camellia, are those of swamps, morasses and 

 bogs, which have been continually exposed to the influence of the sun and 

 air. These waters containing, in abundance, the principles of nutrition, espe- 

 cially when they are found mixed with the detritus of vegetable and animal 

 bodies, which furnish a certain quantity of carbon and azote, act in a won- 

 derful manner upon the voracious organs of the Camellia j but these waters 

 should only be employed in the summer, when the shrub is exposed to the 

 open air. In winter, and when the plants are in the green-house, they should 

 be moistened with pure water, which has remained for several days in a 

 cistern, situated in a corner of the green-house. 



Section 4. — The removal of the Camellia jrorn, the green-house 

 into the open air. 



The period of removing the Camellia from, and returning it to the 

 green-house, as well as the exposition, which is given to it, during the sum- 

 mer, have a great influence on the health of the plant in winter. From the 

 experience of several years, we have ascertained that the period when it 

 should be removed from the green-house, is that, when it has completely 



D. H. HILL LIBRARY 



Worth Carolina State College 



