CULTURE OF THE CAMELLIA. 
37 
that, a piece of wood cut flat with sharp edges, and raise the bark of the stock within 
the perpendicular bar clearly down to the wood. Having opened these sides wide 
enough to admit the hark on which the hud is fixed, insert it flat against the wood 
of the stock ; cut ofl" the upper end of the 
hark attached to the bud, that the edges of 
the bark of the stock and the bark of the 
bud may closely meet at the cross bar of 
the T ; then bring the bark of the per- 
pendicular bar over the bark of the bud 
until it has the appearance of (c). Take 
a piece of well- soaked matting, and begin 
to bind an inch below the long bar to an 
inch above the cross bar. Let this be done 
tightly, and without twisting the matting, as (c?). In a month or six weeks, if 
the bud lives, the bandages will require loosening. There is, however, very little 
dependance of buds growing ; we have known them to fail nine instances out of ten. 
24. The grafted or budded plants, as soon as the operations are finished, should 
be kept under a hand-glass, in the green-house, or in a cold frame, until the scion 
or bud has grown for the first time; and not till then can the heads of the 
stocks be cut off without great risk of failure ; because an exuberance of sap is thus 
thrown into the scions or buds before they are established to receive it without 
injury, just as too great a supply of nutriment injures the infant of the human 
race; nor should the ligatures and clay be removed till that time. 
25. When the grafts or buds have grown, and the stock has been headed down> 
carefully nip off all the tops, leaving only two or three buds to each plant. This 
precaution will make them grow bushy ; when, if left to themselves, they would 
grow either with a single stem or very straggling, and would eventually require 
cutting down. 
26. When the young plants have been decapitated, they must be kept in a gentle 
hot bed or a cool part of the hot-house, and they will soon become fine plants ; but 
if any are still inclined to be of a straggling growth, the side shoots should be 
shortened. 
27. No plant bears the knife better than the Camellia. Those who have large 
and ugly grown plants should prune them freely, re-pot them, and then place them 
in a little heat of some kind ; and, however old the wood may be that is left, it will 
soon be covered with young shoots. 
The Camellia is so universally admired that most persons who have a taste for 
flowers are anxious to cultivate it ; but many are deterred by a supposition that 
unless they have a green-house or conservatory, they cannot possess so desirable 
an object with any degree of satisfaction. Although this idea is very prevalent, it 
is by no means correct : as any person having only a two-light frame may grow it 
to perfection. 
It is well known that the Camellia is nearly hardy : some plants at Wortley 
Hall have stood the intense frosts of several winters, with no other covering than 
a common garden-mat ; as also at several other places in the north, they have stood 
some years with a similar protection. There is no doubt but in Devonshire and 
