\ 
W) HINTS ON CAMELLIA GROWING. 287 |l' 
frequently meet with finely-flowered specimens, yet how often do we see overgrown ones, which either & 
flower hadly or produce inferior blossoms, or, what is still more common, are not invested with that 
dark rich and glossy foliage which the plant is capable of producing, and on which the beauty and 
exuberant appearance of this noble Chinese shrub so much depends. 
The very first point I would advert to relates to the young growth, p.nd the manner in which it 
ought to be produced. Most good gardeners now " force them into wood," as it is termed, and a most 
important proceeding it is ; and, moreover, that is applied to many other shrubs besides. Some twenty 
to thirty years since, one of our eminent metropolitan nurserymen, at that time famed for Camellia 
culture, was completely puzzled to think that, although he could grow as fine plants as any one, he 
could not get them to blossom well. But no wonder ; the plants were so vigorous at root, and kept 
in such a low and equable temperature, that they had never fairly done growing, — unless it were in 
the very dead of winter. 
A liberal amount of heat, then, leading to a somewhat hasty development of parts, is not only 
the remedy against barrenness, but the way to produce fine blossoms. The reason seems to be, that 
the plant is compelled to make every effort, and to call forth every latent energy, in producing a bold 
character of foliage, together with a corresponding extension of the branches, thus creating vast 
capabilities for a high amount of elaborative power, on which, of course (all collateral matters being 
right) the proper organization of the blossom-bud depends. 
But if it be requisite thus to force them into a very full development, it is equally essential to take 
speedy steps to concentrate such energies ; or the plant, being vigorous, may soon burst into a second 
growth, fatal to a fructiferous habit. There is, I believe, but one way of accomplishing this, according 
to my experience ; and I have had great success in their culture for many years. My maxims are, — 
cool them down, and forbear the application of water as long as such a withdrawal does not injure the 
foliage of the plant. I may here, by way of illustration, refer to the course of culture pursued by me 
this spring, beginning in the end of February, and carried up to the end of June. 
The Camellias here are required to be constantly in blossom, from the end of October until about 
the middle of April ; and this we manage annually, without ever lifting out individual plants to 
receive special treatment, — the Camellias having a house appropriated to them. Using, as I do, avast 
amount of liquid manure in their culture, the plants seem to require not a moment's rest, after the 
most abundant blossoming, but run into a new growth, in defiance of a low conservatory temperature 
of from forty to fifty degrees ; and, not un frequently, only a few degrees above the freezing point iu 
January and February. However, they are suffered to continue developing their wood buds without 
any extra temperature until the middle of April, or nearly so ; by which period, whatever blossoms or 
buds remain arc plucked entirely away, the plants having done sufficient duty. This spring, I plucked 
off some hundreds at that period, the plants having been covered with blossom in a continuous way 
since the month of November in the previous year. 
In the middle of April, then, we changed our tactics; the heat was increased to 65 — 70' by day, 
and to 60° by night, and all the atmospheric moisture the house was capable of producing put in 
request. The plants were syringed several times iu the day — in fact, kept almost constantly damp ; 
and as the pots and tubs stand on a floor of cinders, a tap, which is fed by a hydraulic ram, aud which 
is fixed in the back wall, was turned daily on the cinder surface, until a sheet of water covered the 
whole; and the cinders being rammed tight, the water generally remained on the surface for a few 
hours before disappearing. 
By this treatment, coupled with a constant shading of canvas on the roof, the plants speedily 
became full of a new growth, — shoots in the utmost profusion springing from all parts of the trees. 
Liquid manure was the while most liberally applied ; and my maxim is, to keep them in this close, 
warm, and stimulating treatment until the leaves have attained the utmost extension; and this brings 
us up to the second week in June, when the plants were placed on the north side of a high wall out- 
doors, and a canvas screen, suspended on poles, carried over them for a week, or until they became 
inured to the open sky. 
In a few days they were withdrawn from the shade, and placed in a thoroughly exposed situation 
on coal ashes, always reserved for them, where they are fastened to rails or lines, to prevent the 
possibility of injury from the wind, as many of them range from eight to twelve feel in height 
And now may commence the slight amount of check before adverted to, although 1 find that I have 
small occasion to practise it, as most of the shoots have by this time formed their blossom-buds, — of 
course in an embryo state. Should, however, any prove refractory, the man who waters them has 
orders to deprive that subject of his rations occasionally; and this is sometimes carried so far, that the 
poor unfortunate actually flags lor a few hours. 
[£rr?.^/ - \^— --■ 
; 
