114 THE FLORIST. 



said in favour of raising seedling flowers. It requires fore- 

 thought, patience, skill, study, determination to succeed, mo- 

 desty in victory, and good temper in defeat. Our excellent 

 correspondent "Iota" wrote wisely when he said, *' I do not 

 scruple boldly to avow before the most fastidious, that it is 

 a pursuit not unworthy of a wise man, nor unbefitting a good 

 one ; it is elegant, instructive, scientific, and full of results. 

 And the reader of his Bible may see, and grow wiser by seeing, 

 in it another instance of the tenure on which he holds his 

 portion on earth ; that the ground and the things that grow 

 out of it do not yield to him their advantages without the 

 labour of his hands and the exercise of his intellisfence."* 



VICTORIA REGIA. 



This queen of aquatics is now flowering beautifully at Syon, 

 the seat of her Grace the Duchess Dowager of Northumber- 

 land. We delay giving particulars respecting its successful 

 cultivation, &c. for another month, that we may do the subject 

 full justice, and add a more perfect description of the plant, 

 its flowers, &c. than we are at present enabled to do. 



CAMELLIA JAPONICA. COUNTESS OF ELLESMERE. 



Messrs. Jackson and Son, Nurserymen, Kingston-on-Thames, are 

 the raisers of the variety which forms our Illustration. It is one of 

 many they have raised from seeds saved from some of the finest-petalled 

 kinds, such as Alnut's White, Chandlerii, and Gilesii ; they suppose 

 it owes its parentage to the former variety. It is a flower of very 

 great delicacy and purity, such as no artist or colourer can do full 

 justice to, of a fine robust habit, an abundant bloomer, and with 

 excellent foliage. The petals are broad and cupped, without the 

 deep indentation so common in broad-leaved Camellias, and well 

 imbricated. Our drawing was made from a flower which should 

 have been at Worton Cottage on the 3d, and vhen our artist was 

 present; but through a mistake it miscarried, and Mr. Andrews had 

 it when past its best. The flowers which have been submitted to 

 us since the drawing was made have been very superior to the one 

 so beautifully depicted. 



* Vol. for 1849, p. 313. 



