CAMELLIA JAPONICA, 



Plate 1.— CAMELLIA JAPONICA, var. Wilderi. 



2. —CAMELLIA JAPONICA, var. Mrs. Abby Wilder. 



These Camellias were first exhibited on the 14th February, 1846, in the 

 rooms of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 

 The following extract is from the proceedings : — 



" At a meeting of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, on Saturday, 

 February 14, 1846, a vote was passed, directing the Committee on Flowers 

 to take special notice of the fine seedling Camellias exhibited at that time 

 by Marshall P. Wilder, President of the Society. 



" Agreeably to this vote, the Flower Committee submit the following 

 report : — 



" The number of seedling Camellias exhibited was five. Two of them 

 Avere of surpassing beauty and perfection. As the committee have had the 

 pleasure of often examining the extensive collection of the President, as 

 well as those of other gentlemen in the vicinity, embracing the most 

 perfect varieties known among amateurs, they feel themselves sufficiently 

 acquainted with this beautiful class of flowers, to judge of the comparative 

 merits of the seedlings under consideration, and they have no hesitation in 

 pronouncing them as varieties of the very first order, and such as will 

 be difficult to surpass in this or any other country. The production of two 

 such remarkable varieties, by one person, we beheve unprecedented, and 

 will reflect much honor on our President abroad, as AveU as upon the 

 Society of which he is the head. 



" We therefore recommend, that a gratuity be awarded to the President, 

 for these two superb American Camellias, and that it consist of a piece of 

 PLATE of the value of fifty dollars, and of such form and design as he may 

 elect. Joseph Breck, Chairman.''^ 



The piece of plate was awarded accordingly. 



DESCRIPTION. 



1. Camellia Japonica, var. Wilderi. 

 A shrub of free, upright, but rather slender growth. Leaves one and a 

 half inches broad, three long, oval, acuminate, shghtly dentate, very dark 

 green, midrib prominent, petioles short ; bud quite round, with pale green 

 scales ; flower medium size, three and a half to four inches diameter, 

 perfectly circular ; color dehcate clear rose ; petals seventyfive to eighty in 

 number, regularly imbricated, of the most perfect rose shape, and arranged 

 with exquisite regularity from the circumference to the centre ; style of 



