THE 



FLORICULTURAL CABINET, 



MAY 1st, 1833. 



PART I. 

 ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



ARTICLE I.— On the Cultivation of the Camellia. By 

 an Essex Practical Gardener. 



The attention of Floriculturists has of late years heen very suc- 

 cessfully directed to the increasing of numerous varieties of some 

 of our finest exotic plants. In none has the result been more 

 satisfactory than in the " most beautiful of the handsome" varieties 

 of Camellias that have been raised. For many years after the 

 introduction of the Camellia into this country, no attempt that 1 

 can learn of was ever made to obtain improved varieties. The 

 establishment of the London Horticultural Society, however, gave 

 another feature to Gardening in Britain, in all its branches, the 

 benefits of which extended to the class of plants under consider- 

 ation. 



I find that the first Camellia introduced into this country was 

 the Old Single Red, in the year 1G39. The next was brought to 

 England in 1792, by Sir John Slater, of the East India House; 

 this was that most channing plant, the Double White. The third 

 kind was the old Double Red ; it was introduced by Sir Robert 

 Preston, of Valleyfield, in Perthshire. The varieties imported 

 from China since that period have been miny, but some of 

 the most splendid have been raised from seed in this country, 

 partioilarly by the eminent nurservmen, Messrs. Chandi.eR and 



H 



