Camellias

The best soil for these beautiful greenhouse evergreens isa mixture of rough peat, plenty of sand, and a little turfy loam. The
greenhouse should be kept rather close, at a temperature of 55 degrees
to 60 degrees, while the plants are growing; but abundant syringing is
necessary at all times. Induce a vigorous growth of wood, and let this
be well matured by exposure to the sun and free ventilation. Old and
straggling plants may be renovated by cutting them hard back as soon
as they go out of flower, and placing them in a warm house where
a moist atmosphere is maintained. This will induce them to break.
Comparatively little water should be given for some time after they
are cut back. When the state of the roots require the plants to be
re-potted, remove as much of the old soil as possible without injuring
them, and put them into the smallest sized pots into which they can
be got, with fresh soil. This may be done after the last flower has
fallen, or after the buds have fairly commenced to push. The plants
may be placed out of doors at the beginning of June, and returned to
the greenhouse in October. There are several varieties suitable for
growing in the open. These should be provided with a soil, 2 ft. deep,
composed of peat, leaf-mould, and cows' dung. The roots should
always be kept moist and cool, and the plants disturbed as little as
possible. A top dressing of fresh soil may be given each winter, and
the plants protected from frost by binding straw round the stems.