Chandler a7id Booth^s Camelhhas. 21! 



of the Cape, " every species of which is beautiful throughout the 3'ear, 

 and at every period of its growth, in flower or out of flower, and of every 

 size and age." (p. G. ; quoted from the Gardener^s Magazine, Vol. I. p. 366.) 

 Mr. M'Nab's method of striking heath cuttings is nearly the same as prac- 

 tised in the Leith Walk Nurseries about the commencement of this cen- 

 tur}', with this difference, that Mr. M'Nab " very seldom uses bell glasses." 

 These, we recollect, were uniformly then used in striking heaths, and re- 

 quired much attention in " wiping, to prevent any damp from injuring the 

 cuttings." For the directions given as to the general mode of propaga- 

 tion we must refer to the work itself. The soil which Mr. M'Nab " has 

 found Cape heaths thrive best in, is a black peat soil, taken from a dry 

 heath or common which is never overflowed with water. In general it 

 should not be taken off more than 5 or 6 in. deep. It frequentl}' happens 

 that peat earth has sand mixed with it in its original state ; but where this 

 is not the case, a quantity of coarse white sand should be procured, and 

 mixed with the earth in the compost ground, to the extent of one fourth 

 or one fifth of the whole." (p. 16.) His mode of shifting, and of raising 

 the plant above the level of the pot, is illustrated by a woodcut, and 

 merits attention by the cultivator of green-house plants in pots. What, 

 however, will have a tendency to extend the culture of heaths more than 

 any thing in this excellent little treatise is, an assertion from such high 

 authority, that " heaths require but little fire heat during winter." " I have," 

 he says, " several times had the heaths here in winter without fire heat, when 

 the thermometer out of doors stood at 1 6° below freezing ; but in these cases 

 the house was always shut close ; and I have never seen the heaths sufter 

 from this cold. I have had the whole heaths in the house frozen, for days 

 together, so hard, that the pots could not be removed from their places 

 without breaking them, and fresh air constantly admitted at the time, and 

 I have never seen one of them sufter in the smallest degree from it," 

 (p. 31.) We think we do our horticultural readers a service in noticing 

 the merits of this most unassuming and practical treatise. The ladies will 

 observe an elegant drawing of the T^rica aristata, at the beginning, by Mr. 

 James M'Nab, the son of the intelligent author, well worthy of the price 

 of the book. — G. Perthshire. 



Chandler and Booth^s Illustrations and Descriptions of the Catnellihse. In 

 Imperial 4to Parts, every three months. T^. plain; 10,?. coloured; and 

 18s, extra-size. 



Part X.for Kovember, contains 

 37. Camell/rt japonica R6ss», Ross's Japanese Camellia. This desirable 

 variety is well described in our Vol. I. p. 21 1., under the name of " Ross's 

 CamelhVi! gloriosa ; " and an interesting biography of the late Mr. Ross him-- 

 self is given Vol. I. p. 95. " The flowers are generally very large and showy, 

 often measuring 4 in. in diameter." In form they nuich resemble those of 

 C.japonica elegans, see Vol. VII. p. 343., but in colour they are of a much 

 deeper and darker red. — 38. Camell/rt japonica Alton/, Alton's large single 

 red Ja|)anese Camellia. This, " and four others, were raised at the Vaux- 

 hall Nursery from seeds contained in a capsule of the Pompone Camellia, 

 and sown in November, 1819. It was named in compliment to Mr. Alton, 

 the king's gardener, and " is, unquestionablv, a very striking variety, and a 

 most vakiable one to the cultivator of camellias, on account of its produc- 

 ing seeds more freely than any other kind whatever." — 39. CamelL'«jap6- 

 nica crassinervis, Thick-nerved Japanese Camellia, conventionally Kenfs 

 hexangular Camellia, both from its having first blossomed w ith William Kent, 

 Esq., when he resided at Clapton, and from its " having been supposed, on 

 its first introduction," which is believed to have been made by Captain 

 Rawes, about 1820, " to be the hexangular variety so much esteemed by 

 the Chinese." In its blossoms only diftl-rent from the Warratah in its 



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