204 Jlmerican Seedling Camellias. 



soon enabled to transmit to Europe new varieties of thai fine 

 plant which there take so high a rank, as well as being very cred- 

 itable to those immediately concerned in their production; and 

 may it not be hoped, that this may be the harbinger of future con- 

 tributions, which we may be enabled to make in return for the 

 many valuable acquisitions we are constantly receiving from 

 abroad. This is the more likely to be the case, from the increas- 

 ed attention, which, it is understood, has recently been directed 

 in various parts of our country, to the propagation of new varie- 

 ties of plants from seed; a practice, which is certainly not only 

 highly comm.endable, but is also equally certain to be successful, 

 here as elsewhere. It is however to be regretted, that the cus- 

 tom of changing names should still continue in flowers, as well 

 as fruits; it is in bad taste, producing, as it does, confusion with 

 cultivators, and being, also, often an act of injustice to the origi- 

 nal grower, by depriving the object of his own cognomen. 



Whoever will look back to a period of ten years past, and 

 enumerate from his recollection the number of the varieties of 

 camellias, then known to exist in this country, and compare the 

 meagre list with the fine collections now in the possession of 

 cultivators among us, may form a pretty correct idea of the pro- 

 gress which has been made in horticultural pursuits, especially 

 in the floral department, within that period; and the same remark 

 will apply to other interesting objects of that department, and es- 

 pecially the rose and the dahlia. 



May, 25th. E. Vose. 



Camellia Floy, or Grand Frederick. By the Abbe Berlese. 



This vigorous shrub is at once known, by the size of its leaves, 

 which are six inches in length by three and a half broad. 'J'iiey 

 are of a roundish oval, slightly lanceolate, thick, quite smooth on 

 the upper surface, horizontal, flat, nerves very apparent, regu- 

 larly indented, of a deep green, and very glossy. These leaves, 

 although of much larger dimensions, strongly resemble those of 

 the Camellia Derbiana. 



The bud is very large, of an obtuse oval, firmly attached to the 

 axils, with greenish scales. The flower is also very large, be- 

 ing five inches and a half in diameter, very full, and of an admi- 

 rable contour. Its color is at first sight a brilliant clear red, of- 

 ten blended with orange red, and almost always spotted with white 

 towards the centre. The petals of this flower are in five rows, 

 numerous, thick, glazed. The first are more than two inches 

 broad at the disk, deeper in color at the summit than the base; 

 the others diminish as they approach the centre, imbricated with 

 regularity, but largely, somewhat as in certain dahlias. The co- 

 rolla is a perfect rosace, a little tunnel-shaped, and presents, by 

 the whole exhibition of its petals, a magnificent effect. 



