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HINTS ON CAMELLIA GROWING. 
I deem it expedient to cease the liquid manure now for two or three weeks, or until the blossom- 
buds are in a most decided state, using clean water. As soon, however, as the blossoming habit is 
confirmed, the liquid manure is resumed, and continued as long- as no signs of a second growth appear. 
If such, however, should threaten, the partial starvation system is had recourse to again. It is not 
the ordinary practice to place them in the full sunshine ; and neither may the plan answer well in all 
parts of the kingdom, for our eastern and southern counties are notorious for an amount of heat and 
drought in a fitful way, which is almost unknown in the north and in our western maritime parts. 
And, indeed, some little caution is necessary. Unless the root be in a very healthy state, plants thus 
situated would speedily become yellow or sickly-looking in the foliage. Such is not the case here, 
however. Our trees will not quail beneath the hottest sunshine, providing they arc liberally supplied 
with liquid manure. The only thing I fear is the action of the sunshine on the sides of the tubs or 
pots ; and this is by no means inconsiderable, and must be, when not averted, very prejudicial at 
times. "We generally place some inferior shrubs, &c., before the front rank ; and this rank shades the 
pots of the next, and so on. Still there can be little doubt that they would be much better plunged ; 
the operation being so performed that the roots cannot possibly get hold of the medium in which they 
are plunged. This is easily accomplished by forming a holloiv beneath by means of a few bricks ; and, 
in addition, the very sides may be slightly isolated. 
The use of liquid manure we consider indispensable to the highest point of culture. Some persons 
with whom I have conversed on their culture express great fears that so constant a use of such 
fertilizers would throw their well-potted specimens " too much into wood." And such is very possible, 
if the other collateral points of management are lost sight of. My liquid manure consists of guano 
(the Peruvian), soot, the cow-house wash, and sometimes a dash of soap-suds. We are certainly not 
learned enough, as yet, to be able to make a specific for every individual plant or crop, in the shape of 
liquid manure : both agriculture and horticulture await with anxious longings the dawning of that 
era. For the present, I content myself with a mixture which certainly seems to improve almost 
everything to which it is applied — everything, at least, which likes and deserves manurial applica- 
tion. "We brew our materials by a rule-of-thumb procedure, which, however dissatisfactory to the 
theorist, is enough for our present purpose. Our brewing vessel holds about sixty gallons. We make 
soot-water in it first, by putting about a peek of soot to forty gallons of water, the day previous. 
This is well stirred up, and some quicklime added to clarify it. The next morning it is skimmed 
clear ; and now fifteen pounds of guano (Peruvian) are dissolved in a few gallons of warm water, and 
added to the soot-water. Then we add about three gallons soap suds, and about twelve of the cow- 
house drainings ; and the whole is well stirred, left to settle, and skimmed. When ready for use, it 
is nearly as clear as ale. We must here, with caution, observe that the mixture, at this strength; 
would probably destroy life in any plant. We, however, only pour about a pint of this to an ordinary 
garden water-pot of water, — certainly not more than a quart ; and the water-pots hold three gallons. 
In fact, we add merely enough to colour the water ; and it gives the water an odour somewhat 
resembling stale rain-water, which has stood in an open vessel for a few days. 
Care should be taken, in placing Camellias in a summer station out-doors, that they are placed 
facing the south, or nearly so. I well remember that in my practice, some twenty years since, I 
thought it the best plan to keep them on the north side of a wall all the summer, as much in the shade 
as possible. In blossoming, such plants would very frequently, when in the house, turn their best 
bloom away from the eye of the spectator ; and no wonder. The plants being faced to the north when 
placed out, had been incited to turn their leaf-facings somewhat towards the south, and the buds 
partook of this character. Consequently the blossoms, when opening in-doors, were many of them in 
a wrong position to be seen. 
I may here observe, that I use the liquid manure liberally, and almost constantly, whilst the 
bloom-buds are enlarging, and indeed through all the flowering period occasionally. Let it, however, 
be kept in view by those who may read these remarks, that it is perfectly clear, and what some 
persons would term weak. Still, however superior any other plan or plans may be, and however high 
a point their future culture may reach, by this plan a profusion of fine blossoms, accompanied by the 
most dark and glossy foliage, has been obtained here for years ; and, although so much by the aid of 
stimulating manurial matters, yet without the slightest diminution of constitutional vigour. Indeed, 
the trees improve in constitution every year. 
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