54 
CAMELLIA JAPONICA ; var. ALBERTII. 
admired as evergreens ; and there is none of the sickty, yellowish, or dingy appear- 
ance about them, for which a few are peculiar. The flowers are of a fine round 
figure, with pleasingly rounded and well-disposed petals, very double, nicely filled 
up in the centre, and containing a combination of colours which, of all others, is 
least liable to vary. A red, crimson, or dark rose-coloured ground, with light or 
white blotches, spots, and stripes, is universally known to be as changeable, in 
Camellias , as the circumstances in which, by whatever chance, they may tempo- 
rarily exist about the flowering season. Thus the flowers of that class most in 
requisition often disappoint the culturist, by coming entirely of one colour, and 
altogether lacking the variegation to which they owe their high standing. But 
the blossoms with a white ground, or any tint approximating to white, in whatever 
way they may be otherwise painted, rarely lose these peculiarities ; and are, 
therefore, more valuable. 
No one is ignorant of the culture of Camellias. A moist and very moderate 
heat after the flowers have fallen, and while they are growing and forming their 
flower-buds, with large supplies of water at the same period, both to the roots and 
over the foliage ; and a cool but not dry situation throughout the remainder of the 
year, with an aspect which will not admit of the more powerful of the sun’s rays 
acting upon them, are the great desiderata. Messrs. Chandler always pot their 
Camellias in the autumn, about the month of September ; and a mixture of loam 
and heath-soil, both of a turfy nature, is preferred. 
These gentlemen received the present variety a few years since, and it first 
bloomed with them in the spring of 1839. From a specimen which flowered about 
the beginning of 1840, our drawing was taken. The name here adopted was 
applied by Messrs. Chandler, in compliment to His Royal Highness Prince Albert, 
who is said to feel a considerable interest in flowers. 
