jio-ured in the London Flor. and Bot. Magazines. 67 



lion of this fine tribe, how barren would be these structures dur- 

 ing the inclement weather of our long and tedious winters! Even 

 the type of the genus, the old single red, is a welcome visiter at 

 this season. It is but a few years since this species was consid- 

 ered as rare in our gardens; and whoever possessed a small 

 plant was thought to be the owner of a great treasure in the floral 

 department. But the great progress floriculture has lately made 

 has been the means of producing from this, and others of the 

 tribe, a great number of varieties of diversified colors: of the 

 value of cross fertilization in raising new varieties of flowers 

 there can be no question; and in no class of plants has such aid 

 been made use of with better effect: already the varieties number 

 several hundred, and we know of no limit to the production of 

 new ones. 



At no time, in the vicinity of Boston, has there been a great- 

 er number of splendid varieties in bloom than is now to be found, 

 in the various amateur and nursery collections, in and around 

 this city. Perhaps not even many of the English nurserymen 

 possess so many varieties as are to be found here: and although 

 they are all not equally beautiful, still, where there is plenty of 

 room, they are sufficiently so to demand a place with the finer 

 kinds. It is not to be supposed that the amateur who has but a 

 limited space to devote to flowers will fill it with such as are not 

 truly splendid: it would, indeed, be showing a want of taste to 

 possess merely a variety in this case: those alone which combine 

 both elegance of foliage and flowers, (and there is a sufficient 

 number of these to stock a large green-house,) should be chosen; 

 but those who have sufficient room should not be accused of a 

 want of taste, or a desire only to show a long list of names, for 

 cultivating every new plant that comes into their possession. 

 Were we to be confined to one plant, we would sooner prefer 

 some of the single ones, with their large, glossy, dark green fo- 

 liage and broad expanded flowers, filled with their rich yellow 

 stamens, to some of the double ones, whose sole beauty is in the 

 multiplicity of their petals, without any symmetry of form. 



As the cultivation of the camellia is increasing very rapidly, 

 we have annexed lists of several of the varieties that will be in 

 flower the present month in some of the gardens in this vicinity, 

 that amateurs and gentlemen, as well as lovers of this fine tribe, 

 may have an opportunity of seeing the various sorts in bloom, 

 and thus form some estimate of their beauty. 



Amateur Garden of Mr. Siveetser. — In this collection about 

 fifty varieties will be in flower. Among those in bloom now 

 (Jan. 16th,) which are splendid, are C. j. Sweetii, oxoniensis, 

 pulcherrima, Weimuria and speciosa; the first is a gorgeous 

 flower, nearly the color of Chdndleri, but opens more in the 

 way of a provins rose; the outer petals gradually unfolding, leav- 



