CAL 
CAM 
CALYTHRIX ( Labillardiere. ) 
Nat. Or. Myrtacea. The handsome ever¬ 
green foliage and showy white flowers of 
these plants may make them valuable 
additions to the conservatory list; they 
grow in sandy peat and loam, and are 
increased by cuttings which take root 
readily under a glass in heat. 
CAMAROTIS (Wallioh.) Nat. Or. 
Orch idaceae. Yery pretty dwarf-growing, 
or rather prostrate epiphytes of the Yan- 
dese tribe; they should be grown on bil¬ 
lets of wood with a little moss fastened 
about the roots, or if pots are preferred, 
the soil should be very light peat and 
sphagnum, plentifully interspersed with 
pieces of rotten wood. Like all other 
Indian species they require a high and 
moist temperature. 
CAMELLIA (Ker.) Nat. Or. Terns- 
tnemiacece. The number of true species 
of this splendid genus, is very limited, not 
exceeding six or seven, and only one or 
two of them are thought worth cultiva¬ 
tion except for botanical purposes. The 
hundreds of beautiful varieties which 
grace our collections, possessing at once 
the most rich and vivid colours in their 
flowers, and the noblest grandeur in the 
whole aspect of the plants, fully com¬ 
pensate for this scarcity of species, and 
leave us little to desire that may not 
reasonably be expected of the same skill 
and perseverance which has already pro¬ 
duced such splendid results. C. japonica 
may be regarded as the first parent of 
the whole race of cultivated Camellias; 
it is a native of China and Japan, where 
it attains the altitude of a tree, and is 
much employed by the natives of those 
countries in decorating their gardens : 
with us it is one of the freest to grow, 
and is commonly kept for the purpose of 
obtaining seed. Camellias delight in an 
even temperature, rapid fluctuations be¬ 
ing injurious at any season, and the same 
regular and equable amount of both light 
and moisture should prevail in the sup¬ 
ply for the whole year, that in effect the 
difference between the summer and win¬ 
ter seasons may be lessened as far as is 
practicable; for this purpose the plants 
should be kept in summer either in a 
cool greenhouse, thoroughly shaded from 
the sun, and a damp atmosphere pre¬ 
served about them, by copiously watering’ 
both the plants themselves and the floor 
and paths of the house, or on the shaded 
side of a wall in the open air, with the 
same attention to continued humidity. 
To render the culture as clear as possible 
we will follow it through the entire year: 
in the spring the majority will be flower¬ 
ing, when they require less attention 
than at any other period; moderate sup¬ 
plies of water, and a situation as cool as 
can be afforded without danger of frosts 
or nipping currents of air, will preserve 
their beauty for a great length of tune ; 
about the middle of March is the com¬ 
mencement of the ordinary growing sea¬ 
son, when a somewhat warmer situation 
and plenty of water to the roots should 
be given them. Cultivators differ as to 
the best period for repotting; some re¬ 
commend it to be done immediately after 
the first symptoms of growth are mani¬ 
fested ; others defer it until near the 
completion of the season’s action. Eor 
ourselves, we think it should be done 
when the greatest benefit will be con¬ 
ferred on the prospective shoots, which 
will be ere the roots have made much 
progress, or as soon after blooming as 
may be. A distinction in the soil to be 
used should be made in accordance with 
I he state of each plant, bearing in mind 
that they grow much stronger in loam 
than in peat, but do not usually produce 
flowers so freely, and vice versa, for 
healthy specimens; and under ordinary 
circumstances, an equal mixture of both 
seems most advisable, introducing a small 
proportion of sand, and using the soil 
quite rough; the practice of draining 
with number of “ crocks,” so necessarv 
with most other plants, is here to be 
avoided, one large hollow piece of broken 
pot being preferable. At this time it 
should be determined at what period the 
plants will be required to bloom in the 
ensuing season, whether early or late, to 
accord with wliicli the plants may either 
be forced or retarded; they will bear 
almost any amount of heat while grow¬ 
ing, but after the formation of the flower- 
buds it must be withheld, as the slight¬ 
est application then, instead of hastening 
