CAMELLIAS 
Camellias will grow and prosper under widely varying 
conditions as to soil and temperature, but it is absolutely 
essential that they have good drainage. It is useless to 
plant a camellia at any place where the water will stand 
after a hard rain. They will grow in almost dense shade 
and in the full sun. Camellias will stand a good deal of 
severe weather, if the cold comes gradually and the plants 
have an opportunity to harden up before the first severe 
freeze. However, an early severe freeze, while the growth 
is still tender, will probably cause damage to the buds. 
Camellias, like azaleas, prefer an acid soil, but will stand 
a broader variation of soil, and will grow well even if the 
soil is just slightly acid. 
Camellias are subject to several forms of scale which 
can be easily controlled by spraying. A spray of one gallon 
of water, three tablespoons of Volck, or other white oil 
emulsion, and one teaspoon of Black Leaf 40, will be effec- 
tive. Care should be used not to spray in the hot sun. If 
the plant is not shaded, it should be sprayed late in the 
afternoon, if possible. Otherwise the leaves are likely to be 
badly burned, which will retard the growth of the plant. 
Generally it is sufficient to spray in the spring and again 
in the fall, but if a plant is badly infested with disease we 
recommend spraying every three weeks until the scale is 
killed.* 
Sometimes camellias are affected by the disease com- 
monly known as “‘die-back.” This is due to a fungus. We 
have had satisfactory results in controlling this disease by 
spraying with Bordeaux mixture three times in the Spring, 
at ten-day intervals, when the first new growth starts. It 
is very important that the spraying be done at the time the 
new growth starts, and the plant should be sprayed thor- 
oughly so as to wet all the branches and the trunk. See 
spray schedule page. 
A thin mulch-of oak leaves or pine straw is good for 
camellias. Almost any fertilizer that does not have an alka- - 
line reaction can be used. 
In planting camellias it is absolutely necessary to avoid 
planting them too deep. The importance of this cannot be 
stressed too much. If the stem is one inch deeper than it 
was formerly grown, the growth of the plant will be greatly 
retarded, and if it is planted several inches deeper the plant 


* See our spray schedule on page 24. 
7 
