112 
ON THE PROPAGATION OF CAMELLIAS. 
depend upon the closeness of the covering, shading from mid- day sun, and a moist 
soil. The growth of the cuttings, and the firm adherence of the leaves, will indicate 
the development of roots ; and not a plant should be moved till it have made some 
inches of fine young wood, and borne exposure to the air of the house. The glass 
will of course be removed cautiously, and, for many weeks, only while it is cleaned 
and made dry. 
There is nothing new in raising young stocks by this method, neither is it at 
all strange to meet with fine plants of the double varieties which have been raised 
from cuttings ; but there is a prejudice against the latter, it being a received opinion 
that such plants are short-lived, and little to be depended on. We have, however, 
a double white kind now in fiower : it is altogether the prettiest specimen that wo 
possess ; and we know it to be at least four years old from the cutting. But 
inarcldng on the red stocky is a process at once so easy and successfu], that it ought 
never to be lost sight of by those who are not adroit grafters. This mention of 
grafting brings us to the point which is the chief object of the present article. 
Yery few persons succeed in their attempts to propagate by independent graft- 
ing. Notwithstanding the utmost caution to adapt the bark of the scion to that of 
the stock, to secure the junction by ligature, and to prevent access of air by cover- 
ing the graft with clay, or wax, the leaves fall, and the scion perishes. The cause 
of failure is to be traced to the length of the scion ; which, with wood so hard and 
comparatively void of sap as is that of the Camellia, almost invariably prevents the 
interflow of the vital juices of the two members at the first critical period. The 
Camellia has great facility in forming a junction with its congeners, provided its 
wounded surfaces can retain their sap ; hence tlie almost certain success of the inarch- 
ing process. Therefore, if independent grafting be aimed at, both stock and scion 
must be brought to a state of activity by a gentle heat of 60" ; and just when the 
buds of the stock swell, and those of the plant to be propagated enlarge and draw out 
to the length of half an inch, one single hold eye (generally selected from those at the 
tops of the shoot), with an inch only of ripe young w^ood, is to be cut sloping, in the 
same way as the shoot of an apple scion, when prepared for whip or tongue grafting. 
Here, however, the cut will extend the whole length of the wood, and the scion thus 
prepared will resemble the hud or shield of a fruit tree, saving only that the wood 
is not removed from it. The stock is next cut off so as closely to match and correspond 
with the sloping cut of the scion, at a part of the stem not more than an inch above 
the surface of the soil. 
The utmost care and adroitness to secure adaptation of parts must be exerted ; 
and then a small tongue may, or may not, be made ; for if the bark fits perfectly on 
both sides, the success will not be affected thereby : still, we would recommend 
those who are not adepts, to make a very minute incision and corresponding tongue 
in stock and bud, in order to assist them in tying the members together. The 
parts being correctly fitted, a narrow but strong and flexible new shred of bass 
matting, wetted, is to be passed firmly around the scion and stock, thus securing 
