386 



JOUBNAL. OF HOBTIODLTDKB AND COTTAGE GABDENEE, 



[ November 15, 1877. 



for nee as well as for ornament, and ia increasing in esteem 

 yearly. In America it is extensively cultivated, and much at- 

 tention has been given there to the raising of improved 

 varieties. Some of these have already become popular in 

 England, such as Hathaway's Excelsior, The Trophy, and 

 some others, which are remarkable for their smoothness and 

 general good quality. 



The engraving which accompanies these notes represents the 

 most recent of the American varieties — namely, Tick's Cri- 

 terion Tomato, which has been awarded a nrst-claBs certificate 

 by the Boyal Horticultural Society. This beautiful variety 

 was raised by Mr. James Vick, the well-known seed grower of 

 New York. It is a very prolific well-shaped variety with 

 smooth skin, very distinct in colour, the fruit being of a cor- 

 nelian red. The seed has been placed in the hands of Messrs. 

 James Carter & Co. for distribution. 



PBACTICAL NOTES ON CAMELLIA CULTURE. 



Beginning with the house. The Camellia being a com- 

 paratively hardy evergreen it will succeed, as far as growth 

 and appearance are concerned, in almost any description of 

 house. They do well especially as permanent plants in con- 

 servatories, for when not in flower the foliage is ornamental, 

 and other flowering plants can well be arranged about them 

 all through the year. Houses of Camellias may be seen, too, 

 in good condition where there is much more of architectural 

 building about them thin would suit many other kinds of 

 plants. Still, to make the best of Camellias there can be no 

 doubt of the ordinary span-roofed house being as well suited 

 to their culture as any kind of structure that can be devised, 

 because such a house eau be made to suit all seasons ; for in 

 dull seasons the plants will set their buds best in such a house, 

 and if it be a bright summer when the plants are making their 

 growth sufficient shade can easily be applied to keep the 

 foliage from being injured. 



The shading, or influence of shade, has a great deal to do 

 with the successful cultivation and blooming of the Camellia. 

 It cannot be said that the Camellia will not thrive as a plant 

 In a shady place in a cool house, but will it flower well? or 

 will the flowers be other than mostly of an inferior character 

 under such circumstances? Numerous instances can be Been 

 where good healthy Camellia plants will not form flower buds 

 in too shady a place ; and, besides, the character of many 

 flowers under such circumstances is so different they are 

 scarcely recognisable. Tn.6 influence of sufficient light is most 

 necessary after the wood is made and the flower buds are form- 

 ing. It is difficult, no doubt, to regulate shading to a nicety 

 when many other plants require to be attended to ; neverthe- 

 less, it can be done near enough for practical purposes. Sha'd- 

 ing, as I have noted, is most required in the early part of sum- 

 mer to keep the foliage, which is then tender, from being 

 scorched ; very little of shading is required afterwards, espe- 

 cially during such a summer as the last ; but in hot dry sum- 

 mers a little more shading would be -beneficial just to keep 

 the foliage from being in any degree " browned." 



It is a common plan and effectual in shading to paint the 

 glass roof outside with a liquid made up of churned milk and 

 whiting, the same requiring to be attended to and renewed 

 after thunder showers, which will often wash it off. The only 

 objection, perhaps, that can be advanced against this kind of 

 shade is that when it is on it has to stay on, whereas a canvas 

 rolling shade can be made to Euit circumstances ; in dull 

 weather it can be rolled up, and in hot put down. In a sunless 

 season the latter shading would be best, and in a bright one 

 the whitewash will answer very well, it having the advantage 

 of economy with it. It might be mentioned that this last 

 season, which was not over-bright, a very thin whitewash was 

 put on a span-roofed house, and now the appearance of the 

 plants for flowering is as good as need be desired. The wash 

 waB only put on once when the young wood was being made, 

 allowing the weather to take it off for ripening the wood. 



It may be singular to say, though evidently it is quite true, 

 that in some places Camellias do much better than they do in 

 others, the attention given being practically similar. This 

 may be through the bad water or unsuitable soil also of the 

 neighbourhood. If it were in the former case, no doubt the 

 evil could be remedied by securing a sufficient quantity of rain 

 water conserved in large tanks to keep up the supply all 

 through the year; if in the latter, a change of soil is the only 

 remedy. 



The soils used in Camellia culture afford a subject that is 



often under comment. Sometimes the plants are found doing 

 well wholly in turfy peat, and again they are seen flourishing 

 in yellow loam. As regards the latter case, however, it is not 

 every yellow loam that would be advisable to use for the Ca- 

 mellia. A good soil that will suit the Camellia generally is 

 one composed of two parts of turfy loam and one part of 

 turfy peat, with a slight mixture of sand. 



Although the soil used is a very important matter in Camellia 

 culture, perhaps it is not more so than proper and steady 

 attention as regards watering. When the plants are making 

 their growth they should be watered liberally, syringing them 

 also regularly. Still the soil in the pots or in the beds should 

 not be allowed to be sour, and after syringing care must be 

 taken to observe that wetting from the syringe is not a true 

 index of the under-surface soil. After the growth is made 

 syringing should be withdrawn and 1633 watering given, keep- 

 ing the plants just in a moiBt condition at the root. The ex- 

 treme on the one hand of over-watering to injure the roots, 

 and under-watering to dry them up, are the two great evils in 

 the unsuccessful flowering of Camellias. 



Whether planted out or grown in pots, Camellias in their 

 flowering season are very ornamental. When planted out it 

 may be said they involve less labour in attention as regards 

 watering than when grown in pots, but then it ia necessary to 

 know the condition of the border so as to know how to water 

 provided the soil be of a proper kind. When the plants are 

 in pots they are much more under control, and, excepting the 

 very large plants, perhaps they are better in pots. When 

 Camellias are planted out they are what might be called fix- 

 tures, whereas when in pots they can be advanced for early 

 flowering or moved about in the conservatory to suit arrange- 

 ments of colour, &o., and when well bloomed in pots they give 

 ample satisfaction. There can be no doubt, where planted out, 

 a greater amount of vigour of plant is secured, and perhaps 

 larger blossoms ; but for abundance of flowers plants in pots 

 will often be quite equal to those planted out. By having 

 plants in pots, too, the Camellia period can be so much pro- 

 longed, which is a great advantage. 



A good time for planted-out Camellias to come into flower 

 is about Christmas. By having a few early plants the period 

 of flowering may commence in September. Good plants in 

 pots of fimbriata alba are fine conservatory ornaments, and 

 they will flower sooner than could be expected from planted- 

 out specimens ; also it may be especially noticed that a few 

 early Camellia specimens coming into flower, say in October or 

 November, last a long time. These as soon as done flowering 

 may be put into heat to bring on in the same way for the 

 succeeding year. 



The temperature required for successful cultivation is one 

 easily to be attained, for though Camellias require steady 

 treatment within certain limits, they are not susceptible of 

 injury by a few degrees' difference in temperature usually ; 

 sudden changes, however, must be guarded against. A few 

 degrees of frost might bring down the buds, and the same re- 

 sult would probably oceur were well-forwarded plants placed 

 suddenly into heat. A temperature of from 40 3 to 45° in 

 winter, with a little additional heat to the natural summer's 

 warmth, will suit the Camellia well. As regards ventilation, it 

 is surprising how little of this is required for Camellias ex- 

 cepting in very hot weather ; but the fact of their growing 

 well in dark and shady places will easily account for this. In 

 winter, for example, they succeed well in houses with scarcely 

 any ventilation, excepting, perhaps, the door open on mild days. 



If the Camellias are in robust condition many of the sorts 

 towards the end of the year may require disbudding. If large 

 fine flowers are wanted, one bud on a shoot will be sufficient. 

 Some kinds usually only form one bud at their points, and 

 when in flower they make a very good show ; still for ordinary 

 purposes it will be well to reduce on healthy plants the buds 

 to two or three in different stages on each shoot. Disbudding 

 of leaf buds, too, may be adopted to keep the plants in shape 

 instead of using the knife farther. It is not good practice to 

 cut-in Camellias too severely if flowering condition of plant 

 is aimed at; when too much cut-in they make wood instead of 

 flower for a year or two. 



The best time of the year for potting Camellias is either 

 after they have ceased flowering, before they make their young 

 wood, or after the wood of the season is made and the buds 

 formed. If the plants are 6hort of pot room and well advanced 

 in bud a top-dressing of Standen's manure spread over the sur- 

 face of the soil will greatly assist the opening of the flowers, 

 and may be better than potting if that operation could not be 



