December 30, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
277 
these particulars. They send over thousands of 
beautiful healthy-looking plants potted loosely in 
light rich earth, which, falling into the hands of a 
novice, will naturally lead him to think that having 
done so well in the soil they come to him in, he 
cannot do better than imitate it, which he sometimes 
does with older established plants with the worst 
possible results. In reference to these imported 
plants of which I have had considerable numbers 
through my hands. I would suggest to those making 
roots in the centre of the ball. This will not be the 
case when potted firmly in suitable material, for the 
balls will be full of healthy fibres throughout. 
A suitable compost in which to pot Camellias 
would consist of from one-fourth to one-half of good 
turfy loam with good fibrous peat, made porous 
with sharp sand and some broken stone and char¬ 
coal, for young plants using the maximum quality 
of peat, and for large plants the maximum proportion 
of loam. In reference to peat, avoid if possible any 
as quickly as it should do. Give small shifts, for it 
is surprising in what comparatively small pots 
Camellias will continue to thrive if their require¬ 
ments as regards water, &c , are properly attended to. 
The best time to repot is when the season’s growth 
is complete, and before the bloom buds are far 
advanced. A few waterings with soot or weak 
cow manure water during the period of growth, and 
again when the bloom’s buds are expanding, is very 
beneficial, and during the growing season they cannot 
Chrysanthemum Kose Wynne. 
a beginning in Camellia culture that they w'ould do 
well to patronise home industry by purchasing 
English grown plants, as even if they have to pay 
double the price for them they will be found to be 
the cheapest in the long run. These are generally 
potted in a very different compost and much more 
firmly. The injurious character of loose potting 
may soon be seen in going through a collection where 
it has been practised, by turning a plant or two out 
of their pots, when isolated patches of young fibres 
will be seen hugging the sides of the pots when all 
else is a mass of sour decayed earth with no young 
that will soon decay, as some kinds will and get into 
a sour condition before the roots ramify into it. Do 
not sift the soil, but break it up into pieces suitable 
to the size of the plants to be re-potted. Large 
plants may take pieces as big as one’s fist, small ones 
pieces of the size of walnuts. The whole must be 
well rammed down between the ball of the plant and 
the pot, but take care to use it fairly moist, for 
extremes of either dryness or wet should be avoided. 
If used too dry it is almost impossible to get the balls 
properly soaked, and in the other case when watered 
after potting, the water given will not pass through 
have too much syringing, and the heat and moisture 
of a vinery at that time is just what they delight in. 
We give ours an occasional syringing when tire 
flower buds are swelling. Another disadvantage 
which Camellias often labour under in private places 
is the cutting of the wood with the flow’ers. Now 
there is no valid excuse for this, because when the 
flowers are taken off and properly wired they will on 
the average last longer than those taken off with the 
wood, because the w'ired ones cannot fall to pieces, 
which those taken with the wood will often very 
unexpectedly do. The Camellia will stand and 
