STUARTIA 263 
^J~- STUARTIA. 
Though amongthemostlovely of flow- 
ering shrubs and in bloom at a time 
when the shrub-garden is past its best, 
the Stuartias are Uttle planted and well- 
grown examples are seldom seen. This 
is in part due to the call for evergreen 
shrubs; in part to the slow growth and 
difficult increase of the plants them- 
selves ; and also to the fact that they 
are supposed to be "capricious" if not 
ing in light soils andduringdry seasons, 
and the removal of weak and exhausted 
wood once in two or three years. To do 
well they should stand in moist ground 
with roots protected from direct sun- 
light ; this is of more importance than a 
shady place,for though the plant will bear 
a fair amount of shade in America, with 
us they need all the sun they can get 
to ripen the wood. The spot selected 
should be " open " as regards free- 
Stuartia Pseudo-camellia. (Engraved /or F/ora.") 
From a Plant in the Nursery, Coombe Wood. 
invariably difficult. Admitting that the 
Stuartias are unfitted for bleak northern 
districts and for the coldest soils, there 
are many gardens in the south of Eng- 
land where they are hardy and bloom 
freely. The flowers, like those of a large 
single Camellia, are beautiful in their 
purity and flne form and so abundant 
upon well-grown plants that the tree 
stands outlined in white. Once well 
planted they need no care beyond mulch- 
dom from greedy neighbours, for 
nothing so soon spoils a Stuartia 
as fighting for its existence with 
hungry shrubs; at the same time it 
must be sheltered, for bleak wind 
does more harm than frost. The 
most vigorous grower among the intro- 
duced kinds is the Japanese Stuartia 
Pseudo-camellia^ flowers of which are 
shown life-size in our engraving ; it 
reaches tree- size in its own land and is 
already represented by fine examples 
in this country, though the last to be 
introduced. It is also the finest kind 
in its autumn colour, assuming rich 
tints of yellow, orange, and scarlet. 
Though the least vigorous and hardy 
