266 Culture of the Camellia. 



the heat may be raised to 70 degrees, as this increase of he 

 will cause the flower buds to form with more facility and i 

 greater numbers. But it should be observed, that such i 

 crease of heat should be applied immediately on the pl ant 

 perfecting their growth, and before the wood becomes ha^d 

 or it will not have the desired effect ; for such plants as form 

 their flower buds in the conservatory, previous to placing 

 them out for summer, can be brought to flower much earlier in 

 the winter, or by the end of November, and any that have not 

 formed their buds in the spring, will form them in summer 

 and come on in succession. 



The soil for Camellias should be a mixture of loam and 

 peat, with some decayed manure and sand, so that it will be 

 of a sufficient texture not to dry too rapidly, nor bake too hard 

 in the pots ; for when potted in too hard a soil, or peat alone 

 an impenetrable ball is formed, impervious to water, which 

 runs down the sides of the pots without watering the roots, and 

 in consequence the plants will be impoverished, the leaves 

 drop off, although apparently green and healthy, and the 

 death of the plant soon follows. The best soil is, one-third of 

 good peat, one-third of loam, nearly one-third of decayed 

 manure, and the remainder fine sand. In shifting them let 

 the pots be proportioned to the size of the plant, and the quantity 

 of roots. They may not always require a larger pot, but let 

 them be taken out of the pots, a little of the soil removed from 

 the sides, top and bottom of the ball, and the ball loosened a 

 little, but no roots should be taken away, unless they are dead. 

 The pots should always be well drained with broken potsherds 

 of gravel, then place a little soil over the drainage, and return 

 the plant and fill up the pot with the compost, pressing it 

 down the sides with the finger or a piece of flat stick, leaving 

 a little space between the soil and rim of the pot, to allow of 

 watering. When Camellias are inclined to grow too strag- 

 gling and tall, they should be pruned, the side shoots cut 

 back, and the leader or top shoot shortened so as to reduce 

 them to regular shape, which should be done as soon as they 

 have done flowering. When they have completely set their 

 flower buds, or by the beginning or middle ftf June, they will 

 be sufficiently hardy to place out for summer ; precaution is 



