THE CAMELLIA. 391 



ON THE GROWTH OF CAMELLIAS IN POTS OR TUBS. 



It is only in large greenhouses or conservatories that 

 Camellias can be planted out with advantage ; the system 

 of growing them in pots and tubs is therefore more gene- 

 rally adopted. With this end in view the first thing to 

 provide is a good stock of suitable soil. It is not easy to 

 make plain in writing what that soil should be. The 

 terms loam and peat are very indefinite when brought to 

 the test of practical cultivation. We have found Camellias 

 do well in some sorts of loam (light, porous, and sandy) 

 with the addition of leaf-mould ; and we have found them 

 do well in peat alone that was sandy and rich in fibre and 

 decayed vegetable matter. Our present practice is to grow 

 them in a mixture of loam and peat, with the addition of 

 small quantities of leaf-mould and sand : Six-twelfths 

 loam, three-twelfths peat, two-twelfths leaf-mould, and one- 

 twelfth sand. These materials should be collected and 

 mixed together twelve months before required for use. 

 The loam and peat should be chopped fine, but not sifted, 

 and after the whole is well mixed together the heap should 

 be turned over three or four times during the year that it 

 may be benefited both by the winter's frosts and the 

 summer's sun. 



Camellias should be turned out of their pots or tubs 

 once a year to ascertain if the drainage is perfect, the roots 

 in a satisfactory state, and to see if any of the pots or tubs 

 are so full of roots that the plants require repotting with 

 more space. If larger pots are not wanted it may be well 

 to remove a portion of the bottom and top soil so much 

 as can be taken away without causing a serious deprivation 

 of roots replacing the old and washed soil with new ; and 

 here, as on all occasions when dealing with plants in pots 

 or tubs, taking care that thorough drainage is secured by 

 placing plenty of rubble in the bottom of the pots or tubs. 



With regard to the season of repotting, some recom- 

 mend the month of March, just before the new growth 



