CAMELLIA. 



C03 



on which tlie other sorts are either inarched, or 

 budded and engrafted. The cuttings to be 

 selected are the ripened slioots of the preceding 

 summer; these are taken off in August, cutting 

 tliem smoothly at a joint or bud; two or three 

 of the lower leaves are taken off, and the cut- 

 tings then planted firmly in the soil with a 

 dibble. The soil used by some is peat earth and 

 sand; while others use a rich loam, witli a little 

 sand, peat earth, and cow dung. The pans con- 

 taining the plants are to be kept in a pit or cold 

 frame, without being covered with glasses, but 

 they are to be shaded during powerful sun- 

 shine; and in the following spring, such as are 

 struck will begin to push, when they are to be 

 placed in a gentle heat. In the following Sep- 

 tember or October, the rooted plants will be fit 

 to pot off; and in the second or third spring 

 they may be used as stocks. Inarching or 

 ingrafting is perfoi-med earlj^ in spring, when 

 the plants begin to grow. Having accomplished 

 this process, care is to be taken to fix the pot 

 containing the stock, so as that it may not he 

 disturbed during the connection of the scion 

 with the parent plant The grafting being clayed 

 over, is then covered with moss to prevent its 

 cracking. When independent grafting is resorted 

 to, the mode called side grafting is generally 

 used, as in the case of orange trees; but the 

 operation of tongiieing is generally omitted, as 

 tending to weaken the stock. A few seeds are 

 sometimes obtained from the single red, and 

 semi-double camellias, and from the single war- 

 atah. These require two years to come up, but 

 make the best stocks of any. 



The tea camellias are generally propagated by 

 layers, but will also succeed by cuttings. 



In order to raise and exhibit camellias to the 

 best advantage, they should have a separate house 

 assigned them. This house should be of ample 

 height, as the plants never look so well as when 

 six or eight feet high, trained in a conic:iI form, 

 and clothed with branches from the root up- 

 wards. The plants should be raised near to the 

 glass by means of a stage, which should be so 

 contrived, tliat as they advance in height it may 

 be lowered in proportion. The best and most 

 even crown glass should be employed, because it 

 is found from experience that the least inequa- 

 lity of surface, or thickness of material, so con- 

 centrates the sun's rays as to burn, or produce 

 blotches on the leaves of the plants.* Every 

 cultivator must have observed, that the leathery 

 shining leaves of the orange or myrtle tribes, are 

 more or less obnoxious to this solar injury ; but 

 the leaves of the camellia are particularly so. 

 Some recommend a roof that will not admit 

 much light ; others the substitution of green 

 glass, or of glass in part only ; while others pre- 



* London's Encyclopedia of Gardenins. 



fer as much glass and light as possible, taking 

 care to shelter from the excessive rays of the 

 sun. Much care is necessary to raise these plants 

 well. The roots are apt to get matted, and by 

 the space they occupy, so to compress the ball 

 of mould, as after a time to render it impervious 

 to water. Hence attention is requisite to see 

 that the water poured into the pot moistens all 

 the mould tlioroughly. To prevent this, the 

 roots should be examined and pruned once every 

 year. A liberal supply of water is always neces- 

 sary, but especially when the plants are in 

 flower. A degree of heat above that given to 

 ordinary greenhouse plants is also requisite, par- 

 ticularly in November and December, when the 

 blossoms are about to expand. In order to form 

 handsome plants, they should be trained with 

 single stems to rods, and pruned, so as to make 

 them throw out side branches from every part 

 of the stem ; and to encourage them, the plants 

 should not be placed too close to each other on 

 the stage. In summer, they may be either 

 exposed to the open air in a sheltered open situ- 

 ation, or the glass roof of the house may be taken 

 oiF. The hardier sorts, such as the double red, 

 hlush, and pseony-flowered, do very well to be 

 planted in the bed or border of a conservatory, 

 provided the roof or the entire frame-work can 

 be removed in summer, so as to admit the full 

 influence of the air. If this is not practicable, 

 they are better in portable pots or boxes. The 

 single and double red camellia will stand the 

 open air when trained against a south wall, and 

 protected by mats in winter. According to 

 Henderson's directions, the best time for shifting 

 camellias is the month of F'ebruary, or the first 

 of March. After this process, they are to be put 

 into a vinery or hot-house, where there is a little 

 heat, or in the warmest part of the greenhouse. 

 In this situation, they will soon begin to make 

 new wood ; and they are to be liberally supplied 

 with water, and may remain in this situation 

 till they have formed their flower buds at the 

 extremity and sides of the young gi-owth, when 

 a few of them may he removed to a cold place, 

 and into the shade during strong sunshine. In 

 a few weeks afterwards, others may be removed 

 to a cold place ; and this is to be repeated as 

 often as required, in order to have a regular suc- 

 cession of flowering plants. Those that arp 

 wanted to flower early, may remain in the wann 

 house till they are beginning to flower, when 

 they should be removed to a cold place, such as 

 the back of the greenhouse, where, if they have 

 plenty of light, they will continue long in blos- 

 som. A camellia cannot stand much heat when 

 in flower ; indeed, they are seldom disclosed 

 well when in heat, and they very quickly fall 

 ofl='. Those that are kept in the hothouse or 

 vinery during the whole summer, will flower in 

 the beginning or middle of October ; and a large 



