150 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  12,  1897. 
fruits  as  they  become  ready,  finishing  the  ripening  on  a  warm, 
sunny  shelf,  where  they  colour  as  rapidly  as  on  the  plant  without 
any  deterioration  in  flavour. 
It  is  at  the  period  of  ripening  that  the  leaves  near  the  fruit  may 
be  reduced,  or  any  of  the  lowest  ones  which  have  ceased  to  per¬ 
form  the  functions  of  green  leaves  may  be  removed.  Portions  of 
large  leaves  unduly  shading  the  fruit  may  be  cut  out,  and  when 
the  full  crop  of  fruit  has  ceased  to  enlarge  in  size,  growth  being 
practically  finished,  the  leaves  may  be  gradually  reduced. — E.  D.  S 
GROWING  CAMELLIAS. 
In’  writing  on  the  culture  of  Camellias,  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to 
enter  into  details  of  propagation,  as  ninety  nine  out  of  every  hundred 
private  growers  purchase  plants.  We  have  both  raised  stocks  from 
cuttings,  and  attached  to  them,  by  grafting,  the  hest  varieties  ;  but  it 
is,  as  a  rule,  far  better  to  let  nurserymen  who  have  special  convenience-* 
for  the  work  establish  the  plants,  especially  as  they  can  do  this  without 
any  great  outlay,  and  healthy  examples  of  good  varieties  are  conse¬ 
quently  the  reverse  of  costly.  Briefly  it  may  be  said,  for  the  information 
of  those  who  desire  a  little  knowledge  on  the  subject,  that  cuttings  of 
matured  growth  with  a  heel  of  the  previous  year’s  wood  emit  roots  the 
most  freely.  They  are  inserted  as  closely  together  as  possible  in  well- 
drained  pots  of  sandy  soil  in  September,  placed  on  ashes  in  a  cool  pit 
or  frost-proof  frame,  shaded  as  needed  and  kept  moist.  There  they 
remain  until  the  spring,  and  there  they  may  remain  until  rooted,  though 
they  are  often  placed  in  a  little  heat  after  growth  commences 
Eventually  they  are  potted  singly,  and  when  established  and  growing 
freely  they  are  partially  cut  down.  Scions  are  attached  to  them  by 
taking  a  slice  off  the  hark  of  both  stock  and  scion,  fitting  the  two 
together,  securing  them  with  matting,  covering  with  moss  or  grafting 
wax,  and  keeping  them  in  a  close  propagating  case  until  the  union  i< 
complete.  The  growth  of  the  stock  is  then  gradually  reduced  and 
shortly  removed  down  to  the  scion,  which  now  and  onwards  appropriates 
the  whole  of  the  supplies  of  the  roots.  This  is  propagation  in  a  nutshell ; 
but,  as  before  observed,  it  is  better  to  purchase  established  plants. 
Are  home-raised  or  imported  plants  the  most  desirable  to  purchase? 
is  a  question  often  asked.  The  truth  must  be  told  on  this  matter. 
Healthy  free-growing  plants  raised  in  British  nurseries  are  far  more 
likely  to  succeed  in  the  bands  of  the  majority  of  amateur  cultivators 
than  imported  plants  are.  The  latter  plants  are  often  luxuriant,  vet 
almost  as  often  deteriorate  when  placed  in  English  greenhouses.  The 
change  of  treatment  and  locality  is  too  sudden  and  great  for  them 
After  these  plants  have  been  prepared  for  a  year  in  our  nurseries, 
acclimatised,  they  do  very  well ;  but  cheap  imported  Camellias 
are  often  dear  in  the  (nd.  In  purchasing  Camell'as,  then,  the 
safe  course  is  to  obtain  established  plants  from  home  nurseries,  giving 
preference  to  those  raised  there,  provided— and  this  is  important— they 
are  free  and  strong,  a  stunted  home-raised  plant  being  decidedly  inferior 
to  a  free  yet  sturdy  acclimatised  foreigner. 
It  has  been  said  that  Camellias  are  easy  to  grow,  and  they  certainly 
are  when  the  plants  are  healthy  to  begin  with  ;  but  stunted,  scraggy, 
half-starved  plants  with  brown-blotched  leaves,  dry  and  harsh,  are  not 
easy  to  manage,  and  cannot  quickly  be  restored  to  health  and  vigour. 
Many  such  plants  can  be  improved  without  doubt,  and  even  some  be 
transformed  into  handsome  specimens  ;  but  time  and  skill  are  requisite 
for  effecting  this  desideratum.  But  what  is  the  reason  of  so  many 
Camellias  being  in  the  unsatisfactory  state  indicated  ?  The  initial 
cause  in  mt  a  few  cases  is  commencing  with  immature,  strong-looking, 
but  really  weak,  because  plethoric  plants,  and  then  treating  them 
wrongly.  They  have  had  generous  treatment,  specially  prepared  soil, 
pots  packed  with  roots,  so  as  to  endure  any  amount  of  water,  liquid 
manure  periodically,  and  a  very  moist  position,  either  in  pits  or  shaded 
places  in  the  open  air,  and  too  often  have  been  so  drenched  and  saturated 
in  the  autumn  as  to  cause  incipier  t  decay  of  the  roots.  Place  such 
plants  on  an  open  stage  in  a  dry  and  draughty  greenhouse,  and  note  the 
results.  The  very  life  of  the  plants  evaporates  through  their  great  broad 
leaves  ;  pale  brown  blotches  appear,  which  .spread,  the  edges  of  the  leaves 
curl  back,  and  eventually  the  foliage  withers  and  falls,  and  as  there  is 
no  stamina  in  the  plants  they  cannot  pat  forth  fresh  strong  growths. 
This  is  the  treatment  accorded  to  the  majority  of  such  plants  by 
amateurs,  and  it  is  wrong.  If  they  repot  the  plants  as  soon  as  they 
arrive,  as  many  do,  this  makes  matters  no  better,  but  rather  worse  ;  for 
they  disturb  the  roots  and  have  no  compensating  advantage,  for  the  roots 
will  not  move  under  those  conditions.  Such  soft  pampered  plants, 
which  have  been  treated  almost  as  semi-aquatics,  must  not  at  first  be 
placed  on  latticework  stages  in  dry  houses,  but  have  a  sojourn  on  moist 
ashes  in  a  pit  or  frame,  and  be  very  gradually  inured  to  the  differing 
conditions  under  which  they  are  intended  to  be  grown.  It  is  not 
that  all  foreign  Camellias  arrive  in  a  half  succulent  state, 
but  vast  numbers  are  in  the  condition  described,  and  it  is  well  to  know 
what  to  do  and  what  to  avoid  under  the  circumstances. 
Now  to  another  class  of  plants- those  that  were  "healthy  once,  but 
are  now  unsightly.  What  is  the  cause  of  the  change  1  Overpotting 
with  ovei watering  immediately  afterwards,  have  together  formed  the 
first  step  on  the  road  to  ruin  of  hundreds  of  plants.  Camellias  are 
water-loying  plants  undoubtedly —  their  white,  fleshv.  Hi  acinth-like 
roots  tell  us  this,  but  stagnancy  they  abhor.  Even  a  Hyacinth  will  not 
grow  in  mortar,  and  a  Camellia’s  roots  are  far  more  sensitive.  If  there 
18  a  suspicion  of  saturation  or  sourness  they  are  poisoned,  turn  brown  at 
once,  lose  their  absorbent  power,  and  the  plant  starves  surrounded  with 
plenty. 
In  potting  a  Camellia  let  the  pot  be  as  small  as  possible— -only  just 
large  enough  to  admit  the  roots,  with  the  necessary  space  for  pressing 
down  the  soil.  This  is  the  safe  course  to  pursue.  Let  the  soil  be  moist 
when  used,  but  not  decidedly  wet,  that  already  surrounding  the  roots  to 
be  in  exactly  the  same  condition.  Press  the  new  soil  as  firmly  as  the  old, 
and  do  not  bury  the  stem  too  deeply.  Syringe  the  plant  and  pot  three 
or  four  times  a  day  if  needed,  shade  it,  do  everything  to  retard  the  first 
watering,  yet  do  not  permit  the  soil  to  be  dry.  The  object  should  be  to 
induce  the  roots  to  move  before  water  is  applied.  This  secured  the  rest 
will  be  easy.  Apply  water  judiciously,  yet  increasingly,  as  the  growth 
and  season  advance,  and  when  the  pot  is  filled  with  roots  and  the 
drainage  ample,  as  it  must  be,  the  supplies  can  scarcely  be  too  copious. 
The  soil,  then,  must  always  be  moist— not  sometimes  only,  but  con¬ 
stantly,  even  if  water  has  to  be  given  twice  or  thrice  a  day  ;  and  if 
somethiog  more  is  needed,  top-dress  with  soot  and  bonemeal  alternately 
for  sustaining  and  enriching  the  colour  of  the  foliage.  This  is  better 
than  constant  shiftings  from  pot  to  pot.  There  is  no  fear  of  saturation 
in  the  growing  season  if  the  pot  is  crowded  with  roots  and  the  drainage 
thoroughly  efficient,  but  it  never  will  be  full  of  roots  if  the  plant  is 
first  overpotted  and  the  new  soil  is  rendered  stagnant  at  once.  This  is 
the  real  root  of  the  matter,  and  should  not  be  overlooked. — J.  H. 
ISLE  OF  WIGHT. 
Beighstone. 
Dueing  the  last  week  in  July  the  rural  cottage  garden  societies  in 
the  Garden  Isle  have  been  busy  bolding  their  exhibitions. 
On  July  27th  the  Brighstone  Society  got  together  over  400  exhibits, 
most  of  them  being  of  excellent  quality.  Amongst  the  principal 
exhibitors  were  Messrs,  Creeth,  Sprake,  Warne,  Cooper,  Watson,  Hawker 
and  Went.  "  The  Rev.  G.  E.  Jeans  secured  premier  honours  for  Roses. 
Amongst  the  many  exhibits  not  for  competition  were  groups  by  Sir 
Chas.  Seel,  Lady  Mary  Gordon,  and  a  collection  of  run  and  section 
honey  by  the  Rev,  L.  B.  Morris.  The  day  was  beautifully  fine,  and 
everything  pa-sed  off  without  a  bi'cb, 
Aeeeton, 
On  July  28th  the  picturesque  and  fertile  valley  of  Arreton  was  all 
gay  by  bunting  and  flags  in  and  around  the  vicarage  grounds,  where 
the  flower  show  was  to  be  held.  The  exhibits  staged  were  not  so  numerous  as 
in  the  previous  year,  but  there  was  an  improvement  in  the  standard 
of  excellence  all  round.  The  competition  was  very  keen  in  most  classes, 
particularly  for  Potatoes,  Onions,  Peas,  Beans,  Gooseberries  and 
Currants.  A  magnificent  dish  of  the  latter  (Raby  Castle)  secured  for 
Mr.  Geo.  Lipscombe,  the  Isle  of  Wight  Horticultural  Improvement 
Association’s  certificate  for  cultural  merit.  The  principal  exhibitors  were 
Messrs.  W.  Clarkson,  J.  Boyce,  Hookey,  Orchard,  Lipscombe,  Rashley, 
and  J.  R.  Blake.  The  honey  classes  were  well  contested. 
Caeisbeooke. 
The  local  Show  of  this  world-renowned  village  was  held  on  July 
29th.  The  number  of  exhibits  was  over  four  hundred,  and  all  of  them  of 
first-class  quality.  There  was  keen  competition  in  the  table  decorations 
both  for  garden  and  wild  flowers,  some  of  them  being  exceedingly  well 
arranged.  Tomatoes  formed  a  strong  class,  and  there  were  some  excellent 
fruits  exhibited.  The  principal  exhibitors  were  Messrs.  Geo.  Williams, 
Mole,  Webber  and  Wolfe.  Mr.  W.  Matthews,  of  Carisbrooke  Cemetery, 
staged  a  group,  not  for  competition,  which  consisted  of  some  well- 
grown  tuberous  Begonias  and  Fuchsias  ;  and  they  well  merited  the  Isle 
of  Wight  Horticultural  Improvement  Association’s  certificate  which 
they  were  awarded. 
Noethwood. 
This  horticultural  society’s  e  xhibition  unfortunately  clashed  with 
Carisbrooke,  but  nevertheless  the  Show  was  well  attended  and  the 
exhibits  were  fairly  good.  The  principal  exhibitors  were  Messrs.  Young, 
Philips,  Prince,  Bull  and  Philpot.  Many  other  shows  are  to  be  held  in 
the  Island  during  August,  but  the  dates  unfortunately  again  clash  in 
several  cases. — S.  H. 
Clematis  Jackmanni  at  Waewick  Castle.  —  On  a  recent 
visit  to  this  magnificent  old  baronial  residence  of  the  Earl  of  Warwick, 
I  was  much  struck  with  the  extreme  beauty  of  some  beds  of  these 
gorgeous  and  effective  plants — one  in  particular,  being  oblong  in  shape 
and  some  12  feet  in  length.  The  Clematises  were  rambling  at  will  over 
an  iron  trellis  erected  in  convex  form,  but  now  entirely  hidden  from 
view  by  the  profusion  of  purple  flowers.  The  bed  in  question  was 
edged  with  Dactylis  elegantissima,  the  whole  producing  a  charming 
effect.  Mr.  H.  Dunkin  informed  me  that  they  delight  in  a  deep  rich 
soil,  the  beds  being  watered  occasionally  in  hot  dry  weather  with 
alternate  applications  of  clean  water  with  liquid  manure.  No  other 
attention  is  required  (besides  regulating  the  growths)  until  November, 
when  the  Clematises  are  pruned  back,  and  the  surface  of  the  beds 
receive  a  liberal  dressing  of  good  manure,  which  is  forked  in  about  the 
month  of  February  following.  Many  other  parts  of  the  delightful 
and  extensive  grounds  contained  plants  of  the  Jackmanni  type,  which 
have  been  planted  by  Mr.  Dunkin,  some  scrambling  over  rains  and 
others  climbing  up  rough  larch  poles  in  conjunction  with  the  Crimson 
Rambler  Rose  in  the  wild  garden,  the  whole  producing  a  most  charming 
effect. — H.  T.  M. 
