70 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



CAMELLIA JAPONICA. 



CAMELLIADE^. MONADELPHIA POLYANDRIA. 



So named in honour of Joseph Kamel, a Jesuit, whose name is 

 usually spelled Camellus. This tree is sometimes called Japan Rose. 



This beautiful evergreen must be sheltered from the 

 middle of September till the beginning of June. In the 

 summer, when the weather is dry, it should be watered 

 every evening, or second evening, according to the heat 

 of the sun : in the winter once a week will suffice, and 

 that should be at noon. There are double and single 

 varieties ; white, purple, and red of each. This tree has 

 the appearance of a bay bearing roses, much more than 

 the rhododendron, which, from some fancied resemblance 

 of that sort, is also named rose-bay. 



There are several other Camellias, requiring the same 

 treatment as this, which is the handsomest species. Had 

 the Camellia been a Greek, or Italian, or English plant, 

 there would have been a great deal said of it by poets 

 and lovers ; and doubtless it makes a figure in the poetry 

 of Japan. But, unfortunately for our quotations, though 

 perhaps fortunately for their own comfort, the Japanese 

 have hitherto had most of their good things to themselves. 

 Their country would lay open a fine field for the botanist. 

 See an interesting account of this apparently intelligent 

 and amiable people in Golownin's Narrative of his Cap- 

 tivity among them. 



There are two superb collections of the Camellia Ja- 

 ponica open to the public : one at Vauxhall, the other at 

 Hackney. 



