THE CAMELLIA. 395 



ON THE PLANTING-OUT AND CULTIVATION OF 

 CAMELLIAS IN THE CONSERVATORY. 



Perhaps we may say without fear of contradiction that 

 the Camellia is the handsomest of conservatory plants. 

 The finest examples in this county (Hertfordshire) with 

 which we are acquainted are at High Leigh, near Brox- 

 bourne, the seat of R. Barclay, Esq. A short time ago 

 we made a visit, in March, to see these Camellias. The 

 trees are all planted-out in the conservatory, and although 

 the time for catching them at their best was already 

 gone we saw enough to form an opinion as to their 

 appearance when at the height of their splendour, and 

 the extreme vigour and healthy aspect of their foliage 

 spoke volumes for the skill of Mr Dover, who has charge 

 of them. Some of the best plants may be enumerated as 

 follows: Lady Hume's Blush, 15 feet high by 12 feet 

 through, thought to be possibly the finest plant of this 

 variety in the country; alba plena, 17 feet high by 12 

 feet through ; elegans, 20 feet high by 10 feet through, 

 the flowers were still lingering here in quantity, and com- 

 bined with the naturally effective foliage of this variety, 

 rendered especially so by good cultivation, presented a 

 sight of grandeur seldom surpassed in the plant world ; 

 La Innocenza, 12 feet high by 12 feet through, a fine 

 white Camellia, second only to alba plena. 



The collection, which comprises, we think, eight plants, 

 also includes two fine plants of the variety Variegata (one 

 of them 1 8 feet by 10 feet), and alba plena 12 feet by 

 12 feet, which carried this year 3000 buds, two-thirds of 

 which were thinned out before flowering time, leaving the 

 tree to carry 1000 blooms. In the previous year 600 

 blooms were cut off this plant one morning. The plant 

 of elegans above alluded to was estimated to have between 

 3000 and 4000 buds, of which about 1000 were left to be 

 developed into flowers. Mr Dover appears to have no 

 secrets in their cultivation ; he considers soot and cow- 



