PRACTICAL CAMELLIA CULTURE: A Treatise On The Propagation And Culture Of The Camellia Japonica.
Baltimore: (The Author), 1880. First edition of the first book on the camellia written by an American. Halliday was a nurseryman and florist located in Baltimore. He was a dedicated proponent of camellia propagation from cuttings, a practice which at that time was less common than grafting. He gives detailed instructions for all stages of development and includes several instructive text illustrations as well as five color plates. Halliday's advice was particularly directed to commercial growers, with much attention paid to issues such as market prices and the profitablilty of different methods of cultivation. He was also a partisan of the alba plena variety, and offers much of his advice specifically for that plant. 12mo (19.2 x 12 cm); 142 pp. with 43 wood-engraved text illustrations + 5 chromolithographed plates.
Original cloth with gilt camellia design on upper cover, gilt lettered spine, very slight wear to spine ends, corners gently bumped; original endpapers and publisher's announcement slip for the forthcoming PRACTICAL AZALEA CULTURE tipped in at front endpapers; 2 tissue guards removed; a very good copy.
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