March 25. - The plants here are looking as well as can be expected, after such a long, sunless, damp winter. Frosty winters are always better for house plants, and for all kinds of early forcing, than mild winters, like the last, without sun. The greater portion of the camellias at Kingsbury were forced last May, in order to finish their growth, and set their buds. They were kept in the house all the summer, and began flowering about the beginning of December; and they are now past their best. A few that were not forced, and were out of doors all summer, and in cold frames during winter, are brought into the camellia-house in succession, from the end of January till April. These carry on the blooming season till May. In a large collection of this popular shrub, many are annually to be found with few or no blossom buds, especially when young, and in a vigorous state of health. These are selected here, and put in among the stove plants early in March: their new growth is finished in six weeks; and, by the end of May, they have set their blossom buds. These plants are kept in doors all the summer, and come into flower in October and November; thus keeping up a constant bloom for six months. They are found to be as accommodating in the stove as ferns, living and thriving well under the shade of other plants; and, like the vine, and some other excitable plants, they are found to vegetate early next season.
