368 ON THE CAMELLIA AND ITS CULTURE. 



against the glass at the top of the house. As you walked 

 beneath and gazed upon the broad, dark green massive 

 leaves, plentifully sprinkled with various coloured flowers, 

 blackbirds, thrushes, and smaller birds fluttered incess- 

 antly among the branches, where, with a keen sense to 

 comfort, they had built their nests in this splendid grove 

 of flowering trees. But all this, alas ! has passed away, 

 and I know of nothing now in existence that can in 

 any way compare with it. We must turn our eyes in 

 another direction to the improvement and multiplication 

 of varieties if we would set up a claim to progress in this 

 branch of horticulture. Some of those old varieties are, 

 doubtless, surpassed by the recent introductions, if we 

 judge them by the symmetry of the individual flowers, and 

 where there were hundreds of Camellias in those days 

 there are thousands now. With this brief hrstorical sketch 

 I shall proceed to the more practical part of my subject. 



Everybody acknowledges the Camellia japonica, or 

 Japan Rose, to be a beautiful plant, but many consider it 

 a difficult one to grow and preserve in good condition. 

 This impression derives support from the fact that we 

 often meet with plants which are misshapen and have a 

 meagre appearance, the flower buds sometimes dropping 

 off prematurely. If, however, the plants and varieties be 

 properly chosen, this need not be, except by default of the 

 cultivator. The Camellia may be grown and kept in 

 condition with as little trouble as the commonest of our 

 hardy plants. True, it requires special treatment, and I 

 shall proceed to lay before you the results of my experience 

 in cultivation under the following heads : 



1. Of Soils. 



2. Of Climate. 



3. Of Propagation. 



4. Of General Culture. 



And 1st, Of Soils. Camellias will grow very well in 

 either peat or loam, but it should not be poor peat or loam 

 the dog will not thrive on insufficient diet. Chandlers 

 grew their plants in two parts loam and one part peat. 



