/Ijjr,] GREEN-HOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 1055 



most successful and generally adopted method of propagating 

 this family, is by inarching or grafting; by either of these 

 means each variety is perpetuated, but new varieties are only 

 to be obtained from seeds ; and as these seldom ripen, at least 

 in any quantity, in this country, and few are imported in a fit 

 state to vegetate, the propagation of new varieties is conse- 

 quently a matter of some importance. As, in most other cases, 

 it is from single flowering plants that seeds are to be expected, 

 although sometimes the semi-double flowers also produce them, 

 and of these, the common single red is the most prolific in 

 aflfording seed. Sometimes seedlings so obtained are used only 

 for stocks, whereon to work other rarer kinds, although some- 

 times they are kept till they attain a flowering state to ascer- 

 tain their relative merits. Mr. Knight, of the Exotic Nursery, 

 has shown us many seedling plants thus originated, which 

 assume as yet different characters, so far as the buds, leaves, 

 &c. are concerned, from those from which they have sprung ; 

 and, under the management of that very scientific cultivator, 

 every justice may be expected to be done them. These we 

 understand have been principally obtained from the mag- 

 nificent specimen which he so long and so well cultivated, 

 and to which we have already alluded. Stocks, however, are 

 for the most part obtained by nurserymen from layers of the 

 common single red, v/hich they have often planted out in pits 

 for this purpose, or from plants originated from cuttings of 

 the same or equally common sorts. CameUias are sometimes 

 budded, but for the most part are either grafted or inarched, 

 and in either case, the process of tongueing is dispensed with, 

 as weakening the stock ; and that mode of grafting, termed 

 side-graftingy is preferred. It may be observed, that, of all 

 the stocks, for this or any other purpose, those obtained from 

 seeds are the best ; but, in regard to Camellias, as the seeds 

 are two years in coming up, cultivators seldom wait till such 

 stocks are of proper size to be operated on. Sometimes the 

 double Camellias are obtained from cuttings, but this is both 

 a tedious and precarious method of increasing them. 



As to the proper season for grafting or inarching Camellias, 

 the spring is the best, and just at that time when the plants 

 have done flowering and are beginning to grow. This state 



