P Jl o P A G A T T o N A N D C U L T U R K.
'i'li i; most usimi wsy of iiici-easiiig the finer Varieties of liic
Double Camellias is by Inarcl.ing, or gratling by upproacli. For
this puri)ose, llic Stock, being iv plant of the Single, or iiny
robust kind, in a pot, is iixed in a convenient resting-place su
contiguous to a young healthy slioot, of the |)recc<ling years
growtli, that by the common mode of longuc-grafting it can be
inserted into a dean part of the si.ie of the Stock ; an<l after
being (irmly bomul «itli bass mailing, a small piece of clay may
be attaehcl to cxelu.ie ai.- from the -ivounilccl pari ; and this, to
keep it from cracking, may have a small covering of damp moss
tied 0^•cr it : tiie liead of the Slock should tlien Iw shortened, so
as to cause a gi-eatcr How of sap to tlic graft ; and if tlie Stock
and graft are free-grown healthy plants, in six weeks or two
niontlis tlie imion «'ill ],c so firm that the stion may be cut from
the parent plant. In this state it is better to let it continue a
veek ; and in llmt time, if the leaves :-emain unallccted by the
separaliou, the elay and malting may all be rciiioved, and the
i.ciid of the Stock cut oH- a fc«- inches from the insertion of the
scion. It makes the gratied |>art look better to bandage a fresh
liiecc of malting round it, v'hich in another month may he
linally remove.l, as the scion is apt to swell out ;vithout this
precaution. Where the plants are in a fast grow ing stale <ÌLiring
the i.eriod of grafting, at the end of a month, when the adhesion
has taken place, it is advisable to slacken the bandage
and bind It again ; an.! if Ihc union seems tolerably firm, the
matting will, a little damp moss is all that will be then necessary
to insure success. The young plants when removed should be
placed in a close frame ratbcr shady.
The best mode of cultivation for those who arc not skilled
in grafting is by layers ; tile readiest way to perform «hieh is
by planting a bushy plant in a frame, in «hich a bc<l of compost
is prcpare<l for it to grow. It should be turned out of its
pot find placed on its side, and the shoots, of not more than
Iw-O yeai-s' growth. Should be tongucd two-thirds of their substance
through, and wilii a forked peg secured about an Inch
under the surface of the earth; in this state they must remain
imtil they have made sumcient roots to he eut oft" from Ihc
parent plant ; and «'hen removed il is better to shorten tlic head
a nule, and keep Ihem in a close shady frame mi til they hare
s agahi. Such shoots i not be brought it
posture for laying IT
cuttings.
'I'hose who are very dexterous opei-ators. and ha\'c a small
close house with suitable heal, may succeed willi budding ; but
as my dii-ections arc Intended principally for the ainalcur, not
for ,nn-seryn,eu, I shoul.i not recomn.end it as a general practice,
since il is only for an experienced cultivator to re.sort to this
mode in a very scarce kin.l of high v alue ; v herc a shoot ivhicli
would make but one plant by grafting may make five or six planls
by budding. The time budding requires to make aplant, is against
the |ilau to be pin-sucd on a small scale, as it lakes the same stock
(«•hich might be converted into a plant by grafting in two months)
a year and a lialf to lie equally forward with the grafted one.
All the sorts of Camellias wiil grow from cuttings, but not
C(iually free ; the single is the most so. The nio<le for this plan
of propagating is to lake a cutting of from four lo sis inelies long,
with three or four joints to il, or more if convenient, and if its
leading shoot-bu<i is perfeel, so much the better. It is then preiiarcd
by cutting the lo«'er end ofi' smoothly, as iinniediately below the
joint as possible ; and after dive.sting il of its lower leaves and
buds for two or three inches, leaving Iwo or three leaves and the
buds above, it should be i>lanted in a light satidy earth, taking
care lo close the earth as firmly as possible to the bottom and
sides of each cutting ; but in general a clean fine-grained white
sand, without the mixture of any carlh, is better; as, in watering,
the sand perfectly closes lo the cuttings, and if the drainage at
the Imttom of the pot is goo<i, tlie superabundant moisture
readily glasses off. so thai if ^>•atered freely whenever the surface
becomes dry, it docs them no harm. When the pot is fuli. at
two inches apart cach way, it should be placed either under a
hanel-glass, or in a close ]>lace in the house of an e\'en temperature,
but without any artificial heat. The best time for making the
cuttings is in Octobci-, wiien the young shoots are sufficiently hard
iu the wood ; and the most favourable part for cutting is the
junelure betwixt tlie young sho<it and the preceding year's growth.
When Ihc cuttings have remained from Octobcr until about the
following February, there will be very liltle risible difference in
their appcarance ; but if the buds luok fresh and healthy at tliat
time, such cuttings will generally groiv: they should then be
plunged into a gentle heat, such as a bark-bed, or a gentle hot-bed
of <iung, and 1« kept e.\cliuled from more air than is just sufficient
to dry the foliage. When the shoots arc put forth an inch or two
they may be inured to more air ; and in the summer thev should
be carefully taken out of the sand with all their young fibres, and
potted into small jwts, with a compost of one-third bog-earth,
one-third fresh loam, and one-third of the white sand, and kept
in a close frame unlil thcj- have begim to make fresh fibres, when
they may be hardened by exposure to the air; and the following