CULTURE OF THE CAMELLIA. 
385 
with a sharp spade, but not riddled. My practice is to add a good sprinkling of finely 
crushed charcoal, and of coarse sand; the latter, however, depends on the amount of 
tenacity in the loam, and the character of the heath soil. After carefully placing the 
crocks over the bottom, so as to leave three or four bold apertures or outlets, I place a 
pounded mixture (from which all mere dust has been ejected) of broken crocks and char- 
coal; on this a thin layer of new sphagnum, and on this a little fibrous loam, from which 
nearly all the mere soil is beaten out. The ball being placed, lumps of fibrous loam and 
peaty material are wedged in all round at about equal distances ; then a sprinkling of the 
finer compost well shaken in ; then more lumps wedged round ; and, finally, two or three 
inches of the general compost, the latter well pressed down — being used in a dryish state. 
I form the surface into a concave form, in order to coax the water for a while through the 
body of the ball of earth. 
It may here be observed, that they should always be in a moist state when shifted ; if 
any pot-bound plants, with hard balls, appear dry, the only course is to plunge them over 
head in water for half an hour ; after they are taken out, however, they should remain in 
their pot for at least twenty-four hours before shifting, to drain away superfluous water. 
Much difference of opinion exists as to the best time for shifting ; one party shifting 
in the rest season, another after the plants have made their annual growth ; the latter is 
my practice, but many good cultivators pursue the other course. Indeed, it is not very 
material, provided the subject has a sound ball and good roots, and that the subsequent 
management is good. 
Liquid Manure. 
This I consider a most important affair ; not but that fine Camellias may be grown 
without it, but much finer with. By its use the flow^ers may be much increased in size, 
and the foliage rendered much more dark and glossy, than without it. 
Many are the modes of making this liquid. I will, however, describe mine, which I 
use for all purposes, for the sake of simplicity, and, I may add, at nearly all periods, pre- 
mising first, that I never use it unless clear, and always highly diluted. 
All urinary matters are saved and exposed to the air for nearly a month at a time ; 
they are then poured into a huge stone cistern, placed side by side with a vessel for soot- 
water. When a " brewing " takes place, the cistern is filled one-third with clear water — 
generally warm from hot water pipes contiguous. Into this, Peruvian guano at the rate of 
at least four ounces to a gallon is stirred, until the guano is dissolved. One-third more of 
the cistern is now filled with the urinary matters, and the remaining third is filled up with 
clarified soot- water from the adjoining vessel. 
The soot-water is previously prepared by blending as much soot with water as it will 
carry : it requires well mixing, and after settling a day or so, is skimmed, generally a 
second time. 
This, of course, constitutes a highly concentrated liquid manure, so powerful that no 
plant would bear its application undiluted. I, however, dilute it exceedingly, for I seldom 
use more than one pint to three gallons of clear water ; our large water pots are about this 
measure, I believe. 
I may here advert to the simplicity of its application. A large water-pot full of this 
liquid manure is always kept behind the Camellia house, outside of course. In watering, 
■we draw water from a tap at the back of the house, inside ; this tap receives its water from 
a hydraulic ram, and the water-pot of liquid manure being set beside the tap during the 
watering, the operator, after nearly filling his pot at the tap, pours about a pint of the 
powerful fluid into it. A couple of pots full will in general water the whole house, which 
contains nearly a hundred plants. 
I have, I fear, been explicit to tediousness about the liquid manure ; my object was, 
however, to prevent, if possible, any misconception, as liquid manures have, I fear, hitherto 
been prejudiced by thoughtless and unskilful applications. 
As Dr. Lindley recently observed in his valuable paper, " weak, clear, and often," 
should be the maxim ; indeed it is not quite clear to me, but we all use it too strong, even 
thus diluted. 
