8 THE FLORIST, AND 



become quite dry the buds will drop. As the buds swell the water 

 must be increased, and when the' flowers are expanding they will 

 require a pretty free supply. As they cease flowering and com-- 

 mence to grow, I keep the atmosphere moister by throwing water 

 about on the paths and stages, and by giving the plants an occasion- 

 al syringing in the mornings preceding a fine w r arm day; whenever 

 warm enough I give air by the top sashes only, deeming the open- 

 ing of doors and side sashes as admitting currents of air highly iii« 

 jurious to the young wood. If, as they show, some grow stronger 

 than others on the same tree, thereby spoiling any desired propor- 

 tion, I pinch them back half way— I invariably find that pinching 

 back a growing shoot weakens it, while the other unpinched off 

 shoots are strengthened thereby. As soon as the weather out of 

 doors ceases to be changeable, I make preparations for 



Summer and Fall Management. — Here again "doctors differ," — * 

 many preferring to keep them housed all summer, giving them an 

 abundance of air, and keeping them shaded ; others advocating their 

 being "turned out of house," if not home, " about the first of May," 

 under some shady tree or some such situation. The first contend 

 that by housing their plants, they protect them from the heavy 

 summer rains which often injure them, especially if the drainage get 

 defective. The other party contending that when the plants are out 

 of doors, insects do not attack them so freely, and when they do at 

 all, they are more easily cleaned and kept clean. As the full benefit 

 of the air is no doubt of the highest importance to the perfection of 

 Camellia growing, I prefer to have the plants out in summer under 

 an awning made for them, with all the sides open ; this, while it af- 

 fords them all the air possible, prevents the heavy rains from injur- 

 ing them, while they are easily cleaned when infested by insects. 



Insects. — The most injurious are the scale and red spider — lime 

 water syringed over the plants will easily kill the former ; the latter 

 more troublesome pest requires constant watching; the best thing, I 

 believe, for destroying them is soapsuds — many excellent cultivators 

 around Philadelphia use it, while others equally good object to it, on 

 the ground that it stops up the pores which abound on the under sur- 

 face of the leaf; but I have never found it injurious, and presume 

 that the thin membrane-like coat, which adheres to the plant after 

 the washing, cracks and peels off when it dries soon after. 



A Philadelphia Gardener. 



