By Joseph Sabine, Esq. 483 



I place no reliance on the statements of the great number, 

 and of the very different colours, of the varieties represented 

 to exist, by the authors of the account of the Moutan in the 

 Memoires sur les Chinois, already referred to, and subse- 

 quently more particularly to be noticed. That many and very 

 desirable kinds, are yet to come from China, cannot be doubted. 

 The only good evidence of the existence of particular varie- 

 ties, must be derived from original Chinese drawings ; but 

 these are usually so inaccurately executed, and the artists 

 who prepare them are so little to be trusted, that much 

 caution must be used in determining that the figures are 

 those of existing plants, and if so, then that they are correct 

 representations. In most instances, and especially in the 

 collections of drawings sold to the traders and other visitors at 

 Canton, the plants are imaginary. 



Five drawings of Moutans, executed at Canton, are in the 

 library of the East India Company, and copies have been made 

 from them for the use of the Horticultural Society ; they are 

 all deserving of consideration. Four of these originals were 

 made in 1806. The two first are referable to our Banksii and to 

 our Double Rosea ; the resemblance to the former is however 

 very imperfect. The third is called the Tsii* Moutan, and 

 has fine double purple blossoms ; it is considered a very 

 handsome variety ; the whole plant and flowers are larger 

 than any of the other sorts, and its habit is very conspi- 

 cuously distinct. The fourth is the Pae Moutan, with 

 double white flowers ; this differs very much from all others 

 which have been seen at Canton, not only in the colour of 

 • The Chinese appellations of Tsu, Pae, and Wong, given to these Moutans, 

 are indicative of the colours of the blossoms. 



vol. vi. 3 R 



