July 28, 1881. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
75 
about 10 inches apart, and the seedlings be thinned to the same 
distance. The Green Curled is a hardier variety suitable to 
succeed the Moss Curled, and for the latest supplies Improved 
Round-leaved Batavian is invaluable. These, being stronger-grow¬ 
ing, should be disposed about 12 inches apart each way. But 
little blanching is required in the case of the Moss Curled. A 
slate or board laid over them, or flower pots inverted over them, 
will soon effect this. The larger varieties may be tied up with 
matting in the same way as Lettuces are sometimes tied. Neither 
variety is really hardy, and for this reason these and all full- 
grown Lettuces should, before severe frosts are anticipated, be 
lifted and stored away in cold frames. To facilitate the operation 
of lifting, lightly tie up the leaves, and this will also admit of the 
plants being packed closely in the frames. Old Cucumber and 
Melon frames are suitable for this purpose, and the plants should 
be lifted with good balls of earth during dry weather, brought off 
the ground with a handbarrow, and be firmly packed in the moist 
rich soil. Should the soil in the frame be dry water the plants as 
the lines are worked in, after which little or none will be required. 
Keep the plants dry overhead, give air freely night and day when¬ 
ever possible, and cover the frame with mats or other material 
during frosty weather. Blanch a few plants of the Endive at a 
time, which is done by simply tightening the ties. Mice are apt 
to be very destructive among Endive, and last season after a long 
severe frost I had the mortification of uncovering a frame contain¬ 
ing nothing but heartless specimens. A few of the least injured 
were rubbed over with phosphorus paste, and this proved fatal to 
their enemies. 
LEEKS. 
Although I have grown Leeks for a considerable time I never 
thoroughly appreciated them till last winter. Not only were they 
the only really hardy vegetable grown here, but the severe frosts 
appeared to improve their quality. Fifteen hundred Leeks will 
be grown here, and in all probability none will be wasted. If 
large Leeks are required they may be grown in trenches in much 
the same fashion as Celery, as they delight in abundance of 
manure and moisture. For ordinary purposes they may be at 
once dibbled in deeply dug and well-manured soil. In one case 
a long east border is devoted to them. The rows running length¬ 
ways of the border are from 15 to 18 inches apart, and with a 
blunt dibble holes 8 or 9 inches asunder, 6 inches deep, and 
3 inches in diameter are made. The plants obtained in the open 
ground from seed sown in March are dropped into the bottom of 
the holes, a small quantity of soil is placed over the roots, and 
watered in. Unless the soil is unusually stiff no earthing-up in 
order to blanch the stems will be required. The Musselburgh is 
the variety grown here. 
TURNIPS. 
Seed of these may also be profitably sown immediately after 
the ground is cleared of the early and second early Potatoes. For 
the earliest supplies Suttons’ Snowball and Carter’s Jersey Lily 
are suitable, and to follow these Yeitch’s Red Globe and the Chirk 
Castle Black Stone. All will keep sound in the open during 
ordinary winters, but it is, perhaps, advisable to pull and store a 
quantity of the three former in case of another severe winter. 
The last-m'entioned and the Green Round are very hardy, and 
should be sown in good proportions, especially if greens are de¬ 
sired in the spring. Make the soil firm previous to sowing, dis¬ 
pose the drills about 15 inches apart, and thin out the seedlings 
before becoming drawn to about 12 inches apart.—W. Iggulden. 
(To be continued.) 
NOTES ON CAMELLIAS. 
As Camellias are treated in summer so will they bloom in winter 
and spring. If badly managed and neglected now, the best atten¬ 
tion when they are about to bloom will never produce a good 
supply of flowers. We are always most particular about our 
plants when they are making their young wood, and after that they 
are left very much to themselves, the only attention they receive 
being to keep the leaves clean and the roots moist. Camellias in 
the best of health must never be neglected when growing freely, 
and those in a sickly condition can only be restored to health in 
the season when growth takes place. This applies equally to 
plants in pots, boxes, planted out in the conservatory, and in the 
open air, in all of which ways Camellias deserve to be extensively 
grown. To stimulate their culture more extensively much need 
not be said here. We have no fear that Camellia culture will not 
extend fast enough, but we are not so sure that it is always carried 
out in the best manner possible. Many have a grand show of 
blooms at one time, but the great object is to have them in suc¬ 
cession. A great number of plants are not wanted to secure this. 
From half a dozen plants we gathered blooms from the beginning 
of November until May last, and when they can be had like this 
they are by far the most useful plants in our gardens. The plants 
we refer to are good-sized specimens planted out chiefly in a con¬ 
servatory bed, and each one supplies bloom for two months or 
more. Indeed there are one or two which we generally cut from 
at Christmas, and again at Easter. 
Respecting the best mode of growing Camellias, the planting-out 
system may be regarded as the best. In this way plants soon 
become fine specimens, and the growth and bloom they produce 
are much more luxuriant and abundant than when confined to 
pots. The proper time for planting out is just when they are 
beginning to grow. Sometimes this may be very early in spring, 
in other instances very late ; but late or early, when they reach the 
state we have indicated is the time to plant. When planted at first 
they are sometimes a little slow in making much growth, and on 
this start depends their immediate and future well-being. When 
growth has fairly commenced there is little danger of a stop after¬ 
wards, and for this reason care should be taken to place suitable 
material near the roots at first. As they extend outwards they 
appear to thrive in almost any kind of soil. Some of our bushes, 
which annually produce thousands of blooms, have their roots in a 
peculiar indescribable soil. Of late years we have seen Camellias 
do very well with no liquid supply but pure water, and many 
cases of weakness are attributable to insufficient water at the root. 
It has been stated that as soon as the flower buds of Camellias 
are visible water should be withheld for a time, or large quantities 
of it might cause the buds to form fresh growths. This may be so, 
but no harm will result. Some of our plants make second growth, 
and these second growths set their buds later than the first, and 
an excellent and long succession of bloom is the consequence. 
When the plants are starting into growth it is good to syringe 
them once or twice on every bright day ; but as the leaves become 
well developed and the buds formed this need not be continued 
unless the plants are very dirty, and then one thorough good 
sponging and brushing will be far more satisfactory than a number 
of sprinklings. It is bad practice to allow the plants to remain 
always in a half-dirty state, but very often this condition is pro¬ 
duced by defective root-action and injudicious watering. In pots 
Camellias require more attention than when planted out. When 
the roots are confined to a small space soil must be good, watering 
particularly well attended to at all times, and even then there is 
always danger of the soil becoming too dry. 
Many who have large specimens in pots are afraid to plant them 
out, as it is the impression that nothing but very small plants 
will bear transferring from the pots to a bed. Our experience is 
different from this. No longer ago than last March one of the 
largest Camellias we had in a box about a yard square was planted 
out, and the young growth made since then is both abundant and 
healthy. As this plant stood outside all winter and had its leaves 
very yellow we almost despaired of its recovery ; but we shall 
not be in a dilemma of the kind again, as, although the plants 
may assume an unhealthy colour when wintered in pots and boxes 
in the open air, they do not appear so when planted out and 
established. Their appearance then is highly pleasing, and it is 
surprising that Camellias are not more grown in the smallest as 
well as the largest collections of evergreens. It would be interest¬ 
ing if your readers throughout the country would plant at least 
one in the open air, and watch and record the result. 
Once or twice previous to this we have objected in the=e pages to 
shading Camellias at any period of their growth, and although 
my views on the matter were not generally accepted, we still from 
experience think we are right. The finest of our young Camellia 
wood has been grown so close to the glass that it touched it 
in many instances ; but shading from the sun has never been 
done, nor was there any need for it, as the leaves never showed 
the least signs of being injured : on the contrary, they have 
attained a rich dark glossy green colour which might have been 
looked for in vain in the shade. Those who begin shading their 
Camellias when the growths are most tender must of course con¬ 
tinue it; but it would be better if it never was begun, and plants in 
pots require it no more than those planted out if well attended to. 
It is generally understood that the Camellia will not submit to 
be forced into bloom at a stated time. At flowering time this is 
true, though it may be forced to have it early in bloom ; but it is 
in the spring and summer this must be done. Secure early buds, 
and the early forcing is done at the same time. Previous to the 
buds being formed Camellias will bear a high temperature, and for 
a time after the buds are visible, but after they are half swelled 
artificial heat does no good and should be withheld. 
As to whether it is best or not to place Camellias out of doors 
in the autumn there are many opinions. As a rule they are best 
outside, providing they are well attended to with water. Plants, 
