THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, May 4, 1858. 
recommend to tlie curious in such matters, aud that is, to graft 
the leaf of a variegated Tussilago upon a leaf of Farfugium 
grande, and if they will not “take” that way, inarch them. 
The footstalks ought, certainly, to unite by inarching, if not by 
grafting. Then, who knows but the white of the Tussilago 
or Coltsfoot leaf, may not appear on the Farfugimn leaf after 
awhile. But they say, that when a sported plant is first got on 
roots of its own, it is then easier to inoculate it ha this way 
than at any future period, and the reason for that is obvious ; 
the older it grows the more confirmed is the sport, and the 
| morn the sport is established, the less likely it becomes to be 
affected by foreign influences. Therefore, as perhaps, the 
white variegated Tussilago is a newer sport than Farfugimn, 
the best way woidd be to graft a Farfugimn leafstalk on the 
leafstalk of the variegated Tussilago ; or, why not try them 
both ways, and why not make variegated plants at pleasure, 
or at least attempt a thing so desirable ? 
They say, if you put a bud of a variegated Jasmine in a 
green Jasmine, the green one will become variegated after 
awhile ; and if that be true, you may depend upon it the thing 
has not been ordained for the Jasmines alone, but for our learn¬ 
ing, whether we take the hint or not, by budding or grafting 
every one of the present races in which variegated plants 
appear. 
I have said already, that the leaves of scarlet Geraniums will 
root by their footstalks, but they do not put up a shoot under 
out-door culture ; but hundreds of soft-wooded plants, and 
herbaceous plants, remain yet to be proved that way. Has 
anyone proved that a variegated Yucca may not be propagated 
by its leaves ? I believe not, but if 1 go on thus, I shall not 
believe the editor, if he were to say, your articles are never too 
long, D. Beaton. 
A FEW WORDS ABOUT CAMELLIAS. 
Gardening is a profession which, it would appear, 
cannot remain stationary for a day; for 'who will not 
confess that, during every day’s practice and observa¬ 
tion, something occurs which, although not at variance 
with established and recognised principles, serves to 
modify, or qualify, in some degree, previous practice 
in some subject or other? Indeed, this is wisely or¬ 
dained, and the meaning is surely obvious to all, for 
by such an ordination fresh life is, at least, annually 
infused into every department of gardening. What is 
there in gardening affairs that has not been written 
and re-written upon a hundred times, and yet will, in all 
probability, be the subject of some penman a century 
hence ? The subject of my present remarks has thus 
received a share of such attention ; but, after all, 
where there has been one page written about Camellias, 
there has been a hundred about Geraniums ; and I 
am not aware that they carry such a preponderating 
amount of importance. Now, although I have nothing 
particularly new to offer, as to Camellia culture, yet I 
am desirous of “looking them up,” to point to the 
most material feature in their culture, and to offer ob¬ 
servations on those evils, which are so very frequently 
the subject of complaint, in the pages of The Cottage 
Gardener. 
We ail know that Camellias are grown with various 
degrees of success. When in the highest order, they are 
foremost amongst ornamental plants, both on account 
of their glossy dark green and amply developed foliage, 
as also their beautiful flowers, which are of so much 
importance in the bouquet, and various other purposes, 
as also to the plants themselves. But the difference 
between a high-grown Camellia, and one badly treated, 
is as wide as the poles asunder ; the latter a disgrace to 
the plant house. Let us first inquire, what is the 
cause of healthiness and fine blossoming in Camellias, 
and also that of the reverse. In the first place, a per¬ 
fect root action, or, in other words, a pot well filled 
with healthy roots, situated in a nourishing medium, 
and watering duly attended to. 
I will here refer to one of the most common com- 
67 
alaints concerning them—which is the casting of their 
puds. This is often imputed to the atmosphere of the 
house, but, in the majority of cases, most unjustly. I 
know of nothing in-doors that could thus effect them, 
but an extreme range in the thermometer, or the 
escape from the flue of deleterious gases. But the 
thermometer must either sink to 12° of frost, or rise to 
nearly 100°, before they could be thus affected; and I 
am not well assured that this would accomplish it. 
But a bad root will speedily cause this disaster, and 
such a root may ensue from a variety of causes, singly 
or combined. One of the first and most common causes 
of an imperfect root action, is stagnation in the soil, 
whether through a stoppage of the drainage, or a 
closed-up texture in the soil. If any person, not under¬ 
standing the Camellia, finds, on watering, that the 
water stands on the surface of the pot, for five minutes 
only, without passing away, he may be sure that there 
is stagnation either of soil or drainage, and may at 
once set to work to examine the condition of the root. 
This question, however, will naturally arise—At 
what period is it best to perform this ? I answer, that 
it may be done the moment the buds are cast. In 
some cases it is well to shake all the soil from the roots, 
and to wash them; but this refers mostly to young 
plants. In other cases, the sour and clogged soil 
must be dislodged as far as possible. About modes of 
potting and compost, I will speak presently in a general 
way. 
Bud-casting is frequently a consequence of the want 
of water; few plants are more liable to be abused this 
way than the Camellia. Our amateur friends need 
not be surprised at this, when I venture to affirm, that 
I have met with more than one practical gardener, in 
my day, who have not rightly understood the habits of 
the Camellia in this respect. For my own part, I apply 
a great deal of water, perhaps more than most, and I 
always succeed in blossoming my Camellias in fine 
order, from the beginning of November until the suc¬ 
ceeding April, wdien I am obliged to pick off scores of 
remaining blossom-buds, in order to get the plants into 
a growing condition for a succeeding campaign. This 
I have just done, April 12th. 
It must here be observed, however, that as to water¬ 
ing, the soil in the pots of the oldest plants here, is still 
so free after remaining half-a-dozen years, without re¬ 
potting, that the water percolates through in a couple 
of minutes, or less. Certainly, it is possible so to over¬ 
water a Camellia as to cause it to cast its buds; but 
this is rarely the case, if there be a free passage for 
moisture, and the texture of the soil is proper. 
It was before observed, that dark and glossy foliage 
is much admired in the Camellia, and this leads to the 
consideration of what causes them, under some circum¬ 
stances, to assume a yellow and leathery appearance. 
Stagnation of moisture is one cause of this evil, and 
exposure to too much sunlight under circumstances of 
bad root action, as also a too high temperature. With 
regard to a dark foliage, I hold it of much importance 
to shade them whilst they are producing their young 
foliage, which, in the course of development, is exceed¬ 
ingly tender, and susceptible of injury, especially from 
intense sunlight. My Camellias are now commencing 
growth; they are shaded with canvass, and will be for 
several weeks. Small and imperfeet flowering is another 
subject of complaint; this, in the main, arises from 
poverty of soil, or bad rooting. Some portion of the 
matter is, however, attributable to late growths, and 
the turning the plants out of doors prematurely in un- 
genial periods. They are thus frequently induced to 
make a second growth, even whilst the buds are form¬ 
ing. Another charge, sometimes made, consists in a 
shyness of flowering; this is generally a consequence 
of an over-gross or excited habit ; the soil is too rich, 
