Culture of the Camellia. 265 



As regards the temperature, ifit is desired to bring them into 

 flower at the natural time in the spring, they should be kept as 

 cool as possible during winter, for as the heat comes on more 

 gradually, there is less danger of the buds dropping off, which 

 is caused by too sudden a change of temperature. It is as- 

 tonishing to observe how very easily the flower buds, when 

 near ly ready to expand, are acted upon by either heat or cold. 

 The variation of only a few degrees will considerably effect 

 them, so that attention is necessary at this time. Keep them 

 as regular as possible in temperature and moisture, in order to 

 ensure their bloom. Previous to taking Camellias from the 

 green-houses into a warm room, water them freely on the 

 leaves (if the flowers are not expanded,) and they will come 

 into flower much better than if taken in without watering 



The Camellia is well adapted to flower during the winter 

 months, when but few plants cheer us with their expanded 

 blossoms. They should be placed in the conservatory early 

 in the fall, before the weather is very cold, and by keeping the 

 temperature as regular as possible, between 50 and 60 degrees 

 of heat, (about 50 to 55, by night, and 55, to 60, by day,) 

 teeping them regularly moist, and giving them air in mild 

 sveather, they will come into flower early, and provided they 

 are good sized plants and well budded, they will flower a 

 great part of the winter. It may be well to remark that 

 Camellias are very full of buds, and will naturally drop some 

 of them of their own accord, when they have more than the 

 sap can supply, and therefore amateurs should not feel disap- 

 pointed if they lose some of them. As soon as they have done 

 flowering, which will be according as they flower early or 

 late, from February to April, before the new shoots commence 

 growing, they should be re-potted in fresh soil, and kept in the 

 same heat as before, or the heat may be raised from 55 to 60 

 degrees by night, and 60 to 65 by day. Syringe over their 

 leaves early in the morning, keep the soil in the pots moist, 

 shade them from the hot sun, giving them as much air as the 

 weather will admit of, which will cause them to grow regularly, 

 and they usually complete their growth in about a fortnight. 

 When the young shoots have done growing, which can be 

 easily perceived by the terminal bud at the point of the shoot, 



