British Flower-Garden. 447 



Lily of the Valley ; indeed, the resemblance is so great, that it is difficult 

 to distinguish between them before the foliage has made its appearance. 



" ' It was potted in peat and loam, and placed in a frame, and treated as 

 other half-hardy plants. About Christmas it was taken into the green- 

 house, and placed on a shelf near the glass : there the flower had first made 

 its appearance ; but as it grew rather delicate and slender there, it was 

 removed to the conservatory, where it arrived to full perfection. 



" 'It is apparently quite hardy, and might do well out of doors in a south 

 border, care being taken as to soil, and protection in very severe weather.' 



" We agree with Mr. Hall in believing it to be quite hardy, as it is a 

 native of the eastern part of Siberia ; but we would recommend its being 

 planted in a north rather than a south border, as it would not be so liable 

 to be hurt by cold, in growing too soon in spring. The plants of this genus 

 are also fond of a shady situation, generally growing in woods under the 

 shade of trees ; and their roots running amongst the decayed leaves that 

 have been accumulating for years, and form abed of light soil. This should 

 be imitated as much as possible in their cultivation." 



Camellia japonica var. Colvilh7. The petals are striped like those of the 

 carnation, and it is " certainly the finest and most beautiful variety that we 



have ever yet seen As the greater part of the different double camellias 



bear perfect stigmas, they will therefore produce perfect seeds, if care be 

 taken to procure pollen from a different variety. In doing this, particular 

 care and attention is necessary to procure the stamens from the most double 

 flowers that bear them, and also to consider what two colours would pro- 

 duce the most distinct and beautiful colour, intermediate between the two. 

 Several of the sorts that are generally very double occasionally bear a few 

 perfect anthers : these are the best for fertilising the others with, as the 

 seeds from them will produce much finer flowers than from those that have 

 been set with the more single sorts; and as the varieties from seed are 

 now become so numerous, if they are not very fine and distinct, they 

 will certainly not be worth cultivating, except as stocks to woi'k the finer 

 sorts on. 



" The Camellia is not generally so much cultivated as it deserves, though 

 it is very hardy, standing our severest winters, when planted out against a 

 wall or in any sheltered situation, without protection ; but being such an 

 early-flowering plant, the buds are often much injured, and sometimes 

 destroyed, if not covered a little in severe frosty weaither. We believe a 

 northern aspect would suit it better than a southern, as it would not be so 

 liable to frequent and sudden thaws in the day and frost at night, which 

 injure plants that are somewhat tender moi'e than they are injured by not 

 being thawed while the frost lasts. We proved this by several species of 

 Cistus the last winter, those in a south border being all killed ; when the 

 same sorts in a north border, which we expected to have been all destroyed, 

 were scarcely injured in the least, and are now thriving well, and coming 

 full in flower. 



" The Camellia is also one of the most proper plants for growing in the 

 window of a light room, as it is much more hardy than the Geranium 

 tribe, and requires nothing in winter but to be watered when dry. We 

 have seen plants treated this way flower finer, and continue in flower much 

 longer, than those cultivated in the green-house. The best soil to grow 

 them in is a mixture of loam, peat, and sand, the greatest proportion of the 

 former, and the pots to be well drained, that the wet may pass off readily." 



(Satyrium coriifolium ; Orchidese. From the Cape to the nursery of Mr. 

 Tate, in Sloane Street, who plants it in " large pots, in a stiff loamy soil, 

 which, he observes, is very similar to the soil that was about the roots when 

 they arrived fi-om the Cape, and which they thrive in remarkably well : 

 others, that he planted in lighter soil, did not succeed so well. S. cucul- 

 latum we also observed in flower at Mr. Tate's at the same time; and Mr. 



