214 The Culture of the Camellia. 



turning them out for awhile is inimical to the spread of these 

 pests, which will always be found to infest forced camellias 

 more than those which are treated in the ordinary way. 



I have always deemed it necessary to use a canvas screen, 

 during bright sunshine, for two or three weeks after their 

 first exposure out-doors. Towards the early part of August, 

 it may safely be withdrawn altogether, and now they will 

 require more copious waterings still, with the liquid manure ; 

 they must not be suffered to get dry at the root for an hour, 

 if possible. This course pursued brings us to the 



FOURTH PERIOD. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BLOSSOMS. 



The commencement of this period may be marked by their 

 re-introduction to the house, and my practice is, to get them 

 in by the middle of September. 



The house being duly cleaned and prepared, and the 

 plants or trees housed, the course henceforward is very 

 simple. 



No shading will be requisite, provided the plants are in a 

 sound and healthy condition ; regular waterings of liquid 

 manure must be followed up, and a thinning out of the buds 

 must take place ; indeed, the thinning out had better be per- 

 formed before bringing them into the house, if possible. I 

 do not like thinning them, until the buds are half grown ; 

 they are then easily singled out, and if the practice previously 

 laid down is carefully carried out, a considerable number may 

 be parted with. 



In the first place, there is generally a cluster of buds 

 around each leading shoot ; sometimes a complete bunch at 

 the terminal point, I generally reduce the point to a couple, 

 at most, and as my plants generally form buds in the cavity 

 of the next two or three leaves downwards, I reserve, on the 

 average, from four to five buds on each shoot ; those shoots, 

 however, of a weaker character, and lower down the stem, I 

 leave, according to their strength. 



At this very period, if there be any scaly insects on the 

 plants, I commence a syringing process, which will soon de- 

 stroy them, of which more under the head " Insects." Inde- 



