68 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, May 4, 1858. 
or the shifts too liberal. It is surprising what a long 
time a Camellia will thrive in a pot without repotting, 
providing the plant has been rightly potted at first; 
and that the texture of the soil continues good. I have 
plants a yard high, or more, in seven-inch pots, and 
which have not been repotted for half-a-dozen years, 
yet they continue to blossom as usual, and look beauti¬ 
ful in the foliage. No cultivator should rely on a full 
and perfect bloom, unless he has a pot well filled with 
roots. The durability of the blossoms, when in a bloom¬ 
ing condition, is a consideration. To promote this, 
shading is, for awhile, useful; if the weather be sunny, 
1 a liberal watering must be accorded them ; and, above 
j all things, drip from the roof must be avoided. Having 
J now stated some of the chief grounds of complaint, let 
me offer a few remarks on soils, potting, watering, and 
general management. 
Soil, or compost, is a matter of more importance 
than is commonly imagined, especially as to plants of 
some size and age. It is customary with many to 
indulge in the use of peaty matters, and, certainly, 
young plants make great progress in such composts ; 
but these dark soils clo not work so true, or carry their 
texture like those in which a properly-prepared loam 
preponderates. Indeed, Camellias will succeed ad¬ 
mirably in loam alone, if of a proper texture, although I 
would not press such practice ; as I am of opinion that 
a judicious mixture of heath soil with it tends to darken 
the foliage. I advised last year as to soil, but for the 
sake of fresh readers, or those who at the time did not 
heed the advice, I majr as well repeat it. Loam of a 
rather sound texture is the most important article, and 
this should be turfy, and should lay in a ridge for half 
a year before being used. Such, is housed when dry, 
chopped when in a dry condition, and shaken in a riddle 
until the finest of the soil falls out ; the latter is re¬ 
jected, and the remainder is chiefly small lumps of 
turf of a very porous character. To three parts of 
this, I add one part of fibrous heath soil, handled 
in like manner, but chopped finer; the whole well 
mixed. Some add leaf soil, manures, &c., but I do 
not see the least occasion for them. The above com¬ 
post, with a little fine sand, or charred rubbish 
added, if more openness is required, I have proved 
to w r ear for many years, and to preserve its texture 
to the very last. 
The compost, being tolerably dry, should be crammed 
tightly, in the act of potting. Loose potting ill agrees 
with the Camellia. I need scarcely urge the necessity 
| for a most complete drainage. This is all-impor¬ 
tant, as a part of this system of potting, coupled with 
the use of liquid manure, which I have to recom¬ 
mend. Air moisture, as to the Camellia, deserves 
particular consideration; few plants are more averse 
to a dry atmosphere. Most persons who cultivate 
them must have observed, how much better they look 
in the foliage when kept in damp pits than on stages 
in houses, where generally a dry air prevails. At all 
times, then, except the dead of winter, they enjoy 
what is termed a moist air. During the blossoming 
period, however, great care must be exercised as to 
drip from condensed air moisture. For this very reason, 
Camellia houses should have air by night, as well as by 
| day, the whole winter, if possible; certainly, air at 
j the highest level of the house. 
All watering, too, should, as far as possible, be sus¬ 
pended during extremes of wintry weather; and when 
given, applied without much floor wetting in the morn- 
1 mg, making a good fire, and giving a free ventilation 
for a few hours. 
I may now refer to shading, the reasons for its use, 
j and the period of using it. It was before observed, 
that the young growth is very delicate, and that it 
i is most important to preserve a dark green and 
glossy foliage; also, that intense and long-continued 
sunshine is averse to this character. At whatever 
time, then, they are making their young growth, 
shading, if it can be applied, is of benefit, and may, 
as far as my experience goes, be continued until 
they begin to form the blossom bud; unless this 
growth is made by forcing them into wood at an un¬ 
usually early period ; say, during February and early 
March. I am well aware that many good cultivators 
do not, and cannot, shade them ; but I am bound from 
experience to affirm, that shading in a judicious way 
will produce a darker foliage than when omitted. The 
use of liquid manure is but too little practised, I fear, 
with Camellias. Now, it ought to be understood that 
unless, as before observed, the Camellia pot be full, or 
nearly so, of fibres, the blossoming of the plant is 
liable to more uncertainty. This is a point which should 
be well looked into by those who do not yet understand 
the habits of the Camellia. Such should be told, that 
two much repotting is averse to the flowering habit; 
and that, in order to secure the latter, unpractised 
hands had better avoid this repotting as long as they 
fairly can; and have recourse to liquid manure as a 
compensation. This may seem queer advice to stock 
growers and nurserymen, whose object is to produce 
young, free-growing plants in as little time as possible ; 
but 1 again repeat, what I last year averred in the 
pages of The Cottage Gardener, that the objects of 
the nurseryman and the country gardener differ much, 
and that it is but a matter of common sense for each 
so to shape his course, as to answer the end in view ; 
and it is almost needless to argue here, that two par¬ 
ties, each recognising certain fundamental principles 
of culture, may so modify their practice as to suit the 
parties respectively. It is, however, unfortunate that, 
in gardening matters, cultural matters are made to 
assume such different phases, that the uninitiated are 
apt to be confounded at the apparent want of recogni¬ 
tion of a common principle of culture, founded on the 
habits of the plant in question. 
My opinion, in the abstract, as to the Camellia as an 
embellishment to the plant houses of our gentry, for 
whom both nurserymen and gardeners plod their weary 
way, is this—setting aside all details, they are always 
safer and finer bloomers by being forced into growth; 
this allows them, by consequence, a longer feeding 
time for the blossom bud, and, assuredly, a longer rest, 
if rest it may be called. In order to obtain a dark 
rich green in the foliage, they must be well fed when 
hungry, and shaded from intense sunshine when neces¬ 
sary. Finally, they abhorring a high and dry tempe¬ 
rature, a great part of their life should be spent under 
such atmospheric conditions, as those which in combi¬ 
nation cause country folks to exclaim, “ What nice 
April weather; how the buds swell! ” 
E. Errington. 
Mildness oe the Winter in Ireland.— I have been 
waiting from month to month to chronicle the decease of a 
Frogmore Scarlet , and a j Punch Geranium, which were left 
out to take their chance in my garden, in the city of Kilkenny, 
They were planted against a south wall, and up to the present 
time the Frogmore lias received no protection of any kind, 
except that afforded by the well against which it is nailed. The 
Funch was covered with matting every night since Christmas. 
Doth are now alive and vigorous, Funch especially. In a bed, 
close by, were some plants of Mignonette, which remained 
in bloom until the first week in March, when some frosty 
nights killed them, with the exception of one plant, which 
chanced to have the shelter of some Magnolia branches, and 
it is yet alive. For mildness and dryness, “the oldest in¬ 
habitant” of the county of Kilkenny cannot recollect a ! 
winter to be compared to that of 1857-8.— James Graves, 
Kilkenny, 
