154 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 19, 1 S5. 
different in character ; they are divided and sub-divided at every point 
of extension, and the soil becomes netted with fibres that with their 
million mouths gather the food that is distributed through the soil. 
The aim of the cultivator of Camellias should be the production of 
the greatest possible number of fibres. This cannot be attained without 
firm soil and moisture. In firm potting it is of the greatest possible im¬ 
portance that the soil be in the right condition, neither too wet nor too 
dry. 
’ I wish now to allude to the Camellia so frequently shedding its flower 
buds, a subject upon which much has been written in the horticultural 
press. Although I have known the buds of Camellias fall from many 
different causes, I think there are but three reasons which may be con¬ 
sidered of primary importance. Many induce their plants to make 
abundance of wood, and flower buds are formed in plenty, but they fall 
before they open. The chief cause is dryness at the root ; the second 
cause is dryness of the atmosphere at the time when the buds are in their 
last stage of development previous to expanding ; and the third, which is 
the most frequent, indifferently ripened wood. Most experienced gardeners 
know that no immature wood will produce flowers or mature fruit per¬ 
fectly, and this applies forcibly to Camellias. I would therefore recom¬ 
mend all who grow them, and wish to retain their flower buds in a 
perfectly healthy state, to have the plants in all the sunshine possible 
throughout the greater portion of the year, and to keep the atmosphere 
constantly humid. A slight shade, however, will be necessary during 
growth. The Camellia is naturally impatient of hot sunshine at that 
time ; it then delights in partial shade, such as a shrub gets which stands 
upon the clearing of a wood, partly overshadowed and protected by larger 
neighbours. I always place my potted plants in an early vinery in the 
growing season, and no position is more suitable for them. The moist 
atmosphere and frequent syringings necessary when forcing Vines just 
suits Camellias. In dull, damp, sunless weather, however, the syringe 
should not be employed, or weak flaccid growth will be the result, which 
later in the season will affect the general appearance of the plants, and 
certainly impair their bushy shrub-like habit, which is the true character¬ 
istic of a well-grown Camellia. Drawn spindly growth when the plant 
is young results in naked leafless branches when old, and in order to 
regain symmetry the knife has to be used, but this will seldom be found 
necessary if abundance of air be given in the growing season. I am not 
an advocate for placing Camellias out of doors in the summer months, 
and to those who have sufficient house accommodation throughout the 
year I would say, By all means keep them indoors. Camellias may 
frequently be seen placed on the north side of hedges or walls. It is a 
mistake to suppose that the foliage will take any harm from the influence 
of the sun if the roots be sufficiently supplied with moisture. Plants 
which have been overpotted and ill treated produce a sickly yellow growth. 
Buds may be formed on such growth, and they often are in abundance, but 
the plants have not strength enough to withstand any sudden change of 
temperature or slight check, to which they may be subjected ; the result is 
nearly all the buds fall. This frequently happens when the plants are 
introduced to their winter quarters, and people are surprised at the cir¬ 
cumstance, but if one of the plants were turned out of the pots and the 
roots examined surprise would cease. The few roots that can be made 
during the summer time in a close uncongenial soil become [completely 
ruined by the autumn rains. 
Those who wish to grow Camellias well should begin with quite small 
healthy plants, they will then be able to lay the foundation of good speci¬ 
mens. Unless a good beginning is made no substantial success can be 
relied upon, for no after care will wholly compensate for injudicious 
treatment or neglect during the early stages of growth. Free healthy 
root-action is the main point to be secured, and in order to obtain this we 
must not be in too much haste, for the Camellia will not submit to being 
hurried. No plant more readily yields good results under painstaking 
culture, but it imperatively demands that its peculiarities should be studied. 
Healthy young plants in 48-sized pots are quite large enough to begin 
with. They may be procured fairly rooted. They should be dwarf, 
furnished with several shoots and well clothed with foliage. They may 
be wintered in a light house, in which good ventilation can be given, and 
all the flower buds should be removed. If the plants have been more than 
one season in the same pots the soil will probably be well filled with roots, 
and they may be advantageously shifted into a larger size. If, on the contrary, 
there be any scarcity of roots, or they appear to be in rather an unhealthy 
condition, the better way will be to go over them with a sharp-pointed 
stick, extract as much of the old soil as possible, and fill up with a compost 
of which I will speak shortly. This will induce the old roots to produce 
fresh fibres, and encourage the young rootlets to a more lively and healthy 
action. In this way an extra amount of vigour will be gained without 
the bulk of the soil being augmented. The drainage will also require 
attention, and placing the plant in a clean pot. If this be done as soon 
as the wood is ripened early in autumn, and whilst the roots are active, 
much will be gained, as in the spring when making their young wood 
they will be in a condition to be benefited by an occasional application of 
clear soot and guano water. Although liquid manure may be sometimes 
applied with advantage during the growing season, it must be used with 
judgment. A newly shifted plant will not require any stimulus, but if 
the head of foliage be large and the pot well filled with roots, a pinch of 
guano in the water given occasionally will be found to produce good 
results. No rule can, however, be laid down in this respect, practice and 
close observation will alone enable the cultivator to treat each plant 
according to its individual requirements. Soot water is the manure par 
excellence for the Camellia ; there is no danger of souring the soil with it 
and it may be given with benefit at all times of the year, while the foliag 
may be syringed with it beneficially. The best method of preparing it is 
to tie some soot up in a bag and place it in the water tank, and the pro¬ 
perties of the soot will be extracted, and this clear water may be used for 
syringing, and will leave no stain on the foliage. Soot water, without 
stimulating rank growth, promotes the formation of firm sturdy wood, gives 
plumpness to the buds and colour to the foliage such as no other manure 
will produce, but these results will only be effected by its constant use 
and if prepared in the manner recommended. 
The important matter of soil for Camellias now demands attention. 
A great variety of opinions exists on this subject. Some growers use loam 
without any admixture; others, on the contrary, advocate a mixture of 
fibry peat and loam, and some recommend other ingredients; whilst a few, 
but only a few, are willing to admit that loam may be nearly dispensed 
with. Loam, as procured in some localities, I have no doubt is excellent, 
but there are only a few samples which may be safely used in a pure 
state for Camellias. The indiscriminate use of loam produces, I believe, 
many disappointments and failures. A stiff soil requires much care in 
watering, and I have seen Camellias potted in loam, so called, which was 
but a few shades removed from clay. In the case of a plant in the open 
ground there is a free and natural drainage which prevents stagnation, 
but in placing a plant in a pot we give it a purely artificial state of 
existence, and must therefore endeavour to neutralise as much as possible 
the ill effects attending the circumstances under which it is placed. The 
best soil in which to pot a plant is in that which yields the most nutrition 
and at the same time favours the greatest amount of root-development 
with the greatest facility for preserving the same in a healthy conditiont 
In stiff tenacious moisture-holding compost these requirements do nos 
exist, and they should therefore be avoided, more especially by amateur, 
or others who may be desirous of growing Camellias, with whose pecu¬ 
liarities they may be but imperfectly acquainted. Experienced culti¬ 
vators alone should use strong soil. I prefer a compost of a mixed 
character, and rather light than heavy. I wish to be perfectly well 
understood upon this point. I have grown good Camellias in a mixture 
of fibry peat intermixed with bog earth and charcoal. This compost does 
not encourage rank growth, but in it the leaves acquire good substance 
and a fine gloss, which can hardly be obtained in a soil of which loam 
forms the principal ingredient. If I had a choice of soils I would select 
a compost consisting of equal parts of fibry turf cut thinly from an old 
well-trodden sheep pasture, and peat, with sufficient sand and charcoal 
added to make the whole porous. This mixture will promote the develop¬ 
ment of both wood and foliage, and if proper drainage be provided and 
the plants are soundly potted, the watering pot may at all times be used 
with the greatest freedom. 
Those in possession of old neglected plants may try to renovate them 
if they feel so disposed ; and as the source of evil will generally be found 
at the roots they should be shaken out of the pots, as much of the old soil 
as possible being removed and the root cleansed. Old roots decayed at 
the ends should be pruned, the whole dressed with sand, and put back 
into as small a pot as the roots can be got into, using very sandy light soil 
and insuring perfect drainage. They should then be placed in a slight 
bottom heat where plenty of air can be given, syringed on warm days and 
shaded from the hot sun. I am acquainted with a collection of Camellias 
in this neighbourhood which were restored from a miserable state to fine 
health by treating them in the manner I have mentioned. They have 
lately been planted out, and they are at the present time covered with 
blooms, the admiration of all who see them. With respect to the best 
shape for Camellias, individual tastes and fancies must of course be 
consulted. They may be grown as is often seen in the form of standards, 
or in that of bushes or pyramids, the latter I consider the most de¬ 
sirable for pot culture. Pyramidal Camellias are, however, not often met 
with. If, however, the foundation of a pyramid be properly laid there is 
no more difficulty in preserving that form ‘han any other, and with a 
little care in training pruning will hardly ever be foun 1 necessary. A 
good shaped pyramid densely furnished with fol'age and covered with 
bloom is an object worth taking some pains to secure, and one which well 
repays any extra care and labour that may have been bestowed upon it. 
As regards the time for repotting Camellias cultivators differ in 
opinion. Some think it should be done directly the flower buds are 
formed, whilst others are equally persuaded that the right season to shift 
them is directly the blooms fade and before the young growth commences. 
I am in favour of this, as during the spring root-action is much more 
vigorous than at any other time, and not only this, but the plants will then 
better bear any slight check which they may receive than when they are 
more advanced. The assistance, to 1 , that the fresh sail affords when given 
them early must tell favourably upon their giowth, and consequently on 
the number of blossom buds which they are able to form over what they 
would have done had the potting been deferred till a later period. 
I have up to the present dealt with the Camellia entirely as a pot 
plant : I will, therefore, refer to it as a permanent plant, or as a plant 
placed in a permanent position in the soil. Excavate for a border to a 
depth of 2 feet or so, and as the p'ants require abundance of water at all 
times of the year, it is very important that they have free and efficient 
drainage. The best way to provide this is to place 6 inches of soft broken 
bricks, and upon these a layer of rough turves to insure the crevices being 
kept clear. Fill up with the same compost as previously spoken of, but 
in a coarser state than advised for potting, also add a liberal sprinkling 
of crushed bones. The question may be asked by some, Why use the soil 
in such a rough state in making up the border? The tendency of all 
soils that lie long is to lose their fibre and general porosity, and especially 
when subjected to heavy and repeated waterings like that of a border in 
which Camellias are grown. There i3 one other thing, however, which 
