392 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART III. 
proved to be this species, which had been before 
unknown to botanists. It forms a diffuse bushy 
plant, with hairy branches, obovate, acuminate, 
serrated leaves, and small neat white flowers, 
never expanding fully, but in size resembling 
those of a Théa. It is inferior in showiness to 
any of the previously known camellias ; but 
must be considered a subject of much interest 
to the cultivator, from its being one of the stocks 
employed by the Chinese in propagating the or- 
namental species of the genus. (Hort. Trans.) 
This species is not much cultivated, because, though beautiful as an evergreen 
shrub, it is less so than the other sorts. It deserves a place, however, on 
the conservative wall, wherever the collection is extensive. 
Soil, Situation, and general Management. The camellias will grow in any 
free soil ; but a loam inclining to sand, enriched with leaf-mould or thoroughly 
rotten dung, seems to suit them best. Most of the species and varieties seem 
to prefer a situation somewhat shaded; which, as we have already observed, 
seems to be generally the case with evergreen plants having broad shining 
leaves. For this reason, an east or west wall, or even a north wall, inclining 
to the east or west, will be found preferable to a south wall for the more 
tender sorts ; and for those which are to be treated as bushes, a situation in 
the shrubbery or arboretum, where they will be shaded by tall trees during 
the hottest part of the day, is desirable. 
Where there is ample space and a decided taste for the genus, a camellia 
garden, containing all the species and varieties, might be formed in the following 
manner. Choose a situation, either level, or having a west or south-east 
aspect; and enclose a circle, a quarter of an acre in extent, with a 9-inch brick 
wall, built hollow, and having holes about the size of the end of a brick at 3 ft 
or 4 ft. apart, immediately under the coping, for the purpose of receiving rafters 
for supporting a temporary roof of thatched hurdles or of boards. Against 
both sides of this wall all the more tender sorts of camellia might be planted ; 
and the interior of the area might be devoted to the hardier sorts, to the 
green tea, and to other half-hardy and evergreen shrubs from China and 
Japan, such as Illicium, Magnolia fuscata, &c. Where a number of conserv- 
ative gardens are to be placed together, the walls may be arranged in the form 
of pentagons, by which means, as in the cells of the honey-bee, no space would 
be lost. The form of the garden being either circular or pentagonal, and the 
walls being hollow, the latter need not be more than a brick in width, and they 
may be carried to the height of 10 ft., which will be sufficient. Being hollow, 
they might all be heated by steam from one boiler, a small steam pipe being 
conducted along their foundations. 
Genus II. 
THEA L. Tue Tea Tres. Lin. Syst. Monadélphia Polyandria. 
Identification. Lin. Gen., No. 668.; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 530. ; Don’s Mill., 1. p. 577. 
Derivation. Altered from tcha, the Chinese name for tea, 
Gen. Char., §c. Calyx of 5 sepals. Petals 5—9, disposed in two or three 
rows, cohering at the base. Stamens almost unconnected to the very base. 
Anthers roundish. Style trifid at the apex. Capsules of 3 almost dis- 
tinct carpels, 3-seeded ; the dissepiments are formed from the edges of the 
valves being bent inwards. Beautiful evergreen shrubs from China. (Don’s 
Mill, i. p. 577.) The species, in general appearance, closely resemble 
