THE COTTAGE 
GARDENER 
AND 
COUNTRY 
Hedge mustard .... 
Oct. 13 
Cow parsnip. 
.... 
Aug. 17 
Fool’s parsley. 
.... 
— 
Corn bindweed. 
.... 
Sept. 26 
Henbit nettle . 
Red Bartsia. 
Oct. 1 
Dandelion. 
__ 
Hard-head scabious 
Blackhead . 
. 4,000 
Sept. 10 
Nipplewort . 
Stinking chamomile 
. 40,050 
.... 
Sept. 23 
Mayweed . 
, , ,, 
Oct. 14 
Ox-eye daisy. 
• • • • 
Sept. 18 
Burdock . 
Oct. 1 
Sowthistle. 
_ 
— 
Groundsel. 
.... 
Sept. 10 
Stemless thistle_ 
. 600 
— 8 
Musk thistle. 
Oct. 13 
Corn cockle. 
. 2,940 
.... 
Sept. 8 
Common campion .. 
. . . . 
Oct. 1 
Red poppy . 
. . , . 
— 10 
Cleavers . 
«... 
Sept. 11 
Common dock. 
.... 
- 15 
Dwarf spurge. 
. 1,500 
. . . . 
— 19 
Petty spurge. 
• . • • 
— 11 
Sun spurge. 
.... 
Oct. 14 
It is true that all these seeds are not usually fertile, 
that they have many enemies, and may not all vegetate; 
but, on the other hand, they may be fertile, they may 
escape those enemies, and they may vegetate. At all 
events, experience tells us that too many do survive, 
and we would especially rouse attention at this season 
to stringent measures for preventing them having a 
chance of so doing. 
CAMELLIAS. 
The subject of my present remarks is, perhaps, the 
most popular favourite of any house plant we possess. 
I ask pardon, however, of those old friends of our child¬ 
hood, the Geraniums; but they have become so 
naturalised by a sojourn of nearly two centuries, that 
we believe they would not object to our paying a com¬ 
pliment extra to a comparative stranger. 
But to the merits of the Camellia. What greenhouse 
is counted complete without this charming family? 
What winter or early spring bouquet is preferred*to one 
possessing a pure white Camellia? But, indeed, look at 
their other qualifications, as conservatory trees or bushes, 
as adapted to the capacious saloon, or even the assembly 
or ball room. With these things let us take into con¬ 
sideration the very lengthened period we can have them 
in blossom. What shall we say—from September until 
June ? or, perhaps, better say at once all the year round. 
But then it is not a mere question of blossoms; ob¬ 
serve its foliage, how noble in general appearance, 
how rich a green, and how abiding! 
I wish here to point to a few particular features con¬ 
nected with their culture ; for, although much has been 
said concerning them, more remains to be said; and, 
moreover, as The Cottage Gardener is continually re¬ 
ceiving a fresh accession of readers, we feel it a duty to 
recur occasionally to anything important connected with 
gardening. 
In the first place, soil. I am persuaded there is 
nothing superior to turfy loam and fibrous heath-soil— 
I two parts of the former to one of the latter; they may, 
however, be well grown in fibrous loam alone. In the 
next place, drainage. No plant requires a more safe and 
permanent drainage than the Camellia; without this it 
matters not what the compost may be. Some persons 
drain in what may be termed a temporary way, although 
! possibly complete for a short period; but the drainage 
GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— August 26, 1856. 379 
should bo so accomplished ns that by no ordinary chance 
it can becomo choked for several years. Another im¬ 
portant feature I will suggest—one which concerns the 
free percolation of water, not only round the sides of 
the pot, but up to tho very stem itself. It is well known, 
that as they are transferred from pot to pot without dis¬ 
rooting, the original ball necessarily becomes very hard, 
and this hardness is apt to become complete impervious¬ 
ness, through tho peculiar character of the fibres, which 
accumulate in myriads close up to the very bole. 
From hence it may at once be seen how very prudent 
it would be to pot them originally in a very porous soil. 
T should say that finely pounded crocks and charcoal, 
each small as Radish-seed, would be excellent for this 
purpose, adding about a sixth-part of this to the com¬ 
post. This might not suit the nurseryman’s purpose, 
but it would, at least, be sound practice, when a per¬ 
manency of habit is desirable. I have hoard so many 
complaints of sickly Camellias, have answered so many 
queries in my time respecting them, most of the evils 
being traceable to stagnation, that I would fain lay 
much stress on this matter. 
Next, as to watering. Here we have a most important 
consideration. Few shrubs or plants require more 
water than this, at least, at certain periods, that is to 
say, if the pots be well filled with roots. Plants in a 
sickly state, or very young stock, may form a slight 
exception. Tho watering, moreover, must iudeed be 
watering when applied to the root. I have repeatedly 
seen Camellias which were a mass of dust at the root, 
whilst the unconscious owner would assure me that 
they were watered everyday. The periods during which 
they require most water are during the growth and 
through the blooming season, although they require it 
liberally from the moment the blossom buds are ns large 
as good-sized Peas until the blossoming is finished. 
When plants thus grow luxuriantly, much caution is 
requisite to prevent them rushing into a second growth ; 
and this is the period when they should be niggardly 
watered. My practice, under such circumstances, has 
been to suffer the plants to flag before applying water, 
and then to give it them in a niggardly way. This, 
persisted in for about three weeks, will in general induce 
the formation of blossom-buds liberally; and these 
once insured, a feeding process may commence. Shad¬ 
ing, however, becomes indispensable under such circum¬ 
stances; indeed, I shade almost constantly, from the 
moment the shoots commence growth until they are 
turned out-of-doors. 
About turning them out there has been some difference 
of opinion, and I may here be permitted to offer a few 
remarks on that head. If their blossom-buds can be 
obtained tolerably plump in good time, say by the end 
of July, under such circumstances I would put them 
out until the second week in September. But to turn 
out Camellias before their blossom-buds are decided, aud, 
perhaps, as late as August, is, in my opinion, the worst 
of practices. 
1 would here, however, remark, that in the Camellia 
houso we possess there are four largo trees which we 
cannot conveniently turn out, and they have remained 
in for years; the kinds happen to be the old scarlet 
Waratah, the old Double-striped, the Ilossi, and the 
Diegans. Now, these all produce very fine flowers 
annually. As for the Eossi and the Elegans, I am 
persuaded they caunot be excelled in England for the 
size and style of their blossoms, many of which were 
nearly half a yard round ; so it is evident that there is 
no sheer necessity for turning them out, aud I name 
this for tho comforting of those who are undecided on 
this head. 
One more point I may advert to before closing my 
advice. I hold it to be somewhat important to give the 
plants a decided rest for nearly a month after they have 
