998 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



in success. Few oranges that we recollect to have seen in 

 the vicinity of London, are well grown, and, with the ex- 

 ception of some very fine ones in the collection of Mr. Knight, 

 King's Road, Chelsea, we do not know of twenty of large 

 size fit for sale, that have been for any length of time in the 

 country. Few plants, when good, are so much in demand, 

 and few produce a higher price. 



Oranges thrive best when not often removed, therefore the 

 practice of introducing them into mansions in times of fetes, 

 or for decorating halls, &c., is to be reprobated ; few trees, 

 used for such purposes, continue long to prosper. Even the 

 removal of them out into the open air in summer, as is gene- 

 rally the case with green-house plants, is not favorable to 

 them, unless the situation be both shaded and completely shel- 

 tered: the foliage of this family is easily injured by the cutting 

 breezes to which this climate is so much exposed. Most of 

 the finest trees of this kind in the country have not been re- 

 moved out of the house for many years, and most of those 

 which are annually taken out seldom present any other ap- 

 pearance than that of mere skeletons, having little young wood 

 and fewer leaves. 



Camellia-House. This very popular genus has certainly 

 the most imposing effect when cultivated in a house entirely 

 devoted to themselves, either grown in pots or large boxes, 

 and placed on stages, as in green-house arrangements, or 

 planted out in borders properly prepared for them in the con- 

 servatory manner. Indeed there are three genera of plants, 

 Camellias^ Ericas, and Oranges, which always succeed best 

 when so cultivated ; and as each genus has many species and 

 varieties, a considerable degree of interest is to be expected 

 from such houses during the greatest part of the year. In the 

 construction of a Camellia-house, we may observe, that if the 

 intention be to cultivate young or small plants, the same kind 

 of house will be Very suitable as that recommended for a 

 green-house ; and if planted out permanently in borders, that 

 of the conservatory already described, or one nearly approach- 

 ing to it, will be very complete. This interesting genus, like 

 that of oranges, does not require so abundant a share of sun- 

 shine and light as some others, (the genus Erica, and most 



