Pentandria. 
( 6 •), 
ERMINE AZALEA. 
ASA HIS Hedge Shrub of the univerfal Chinese Empire, excels all that we 
know in our Gardens. They introduce in their wild Works of Art alfo ; 
and it carries an Everlafting Bloom in the Front of thofe ftrange Rocks, 
with which they terminate their Views, or ftartle the Stranger’s Eye in their vaft 
Gardens. There is a fateny Softnefs in the Flower, unlike all the European 
kinds ; and its confiderable Size, and moft extraordinary Painting, gives it new 
Charadlers of Beauty. 
' The Shrub is nine Foot high, and naturally grows in a loofe open manner, with 
diftant Branches, which the Winds play with, in great Wantonnefs, and through 
which the frefh Air at all times breathes freely : to this perhaps is owing, in a great 
degree, the peculiar Luftre of the Bloom. Our Gardeners know how ellential 
this free Courfe of the Air is to the Perfedlion of Fruits : perhaps it is as requifite 
to the full Beauty of Flowers. Mildews and Blights affedf thele tender Parts of 
Plants as well as the F ruit ; and to render them fully glowing, it may be as need- 
ful to prevent the Occafions of fuch Accidents. Nature has done a great deal in 
this Plant, and we fee the Confequence : Art may try in others. 
The Leaves of this Azalea are of a delicate Green on the upper Part, and 
Whitilh underneath. The Wood is firm and white, and the Bark brown. The 
Gups from which the Flowers rife are foft and downy ; cut into five Segments* 
The Flower itfelf is White, tinged on the Back with a deep Crimfon. The fame 
Colour, only brighter, plays on the Edges ; and on the Ermine Whitenefs of the 
Body of the Petals it is again ftamp’d in little Spots, as Art difpofes the black Tails 
of that Creature in making Habits of the Skins. One Petal forms the Flower, 
but it is deeply cut into five Parts, and within rife five elegant and confpicuous 
Filaments Crimfon, and crown’d with yellow Buttons. The Style is fingle. 
In the wild State it flowers twice in the Seafon, and paints the Hedges Spring 
and'Auturnn. In Gardens it blooms throughout the Year; and never drops the 
Leaf The Chinese, who attend to the leaft Circumffances, in their Culture of 
Plants, manage this Shrub in a peculiar Way, to keep it always blooming. Every 
Evening they take off the decay’d Flowers with their Stalks. This prevents the 
ripening of Seeds ; and confequently more Flowers follow ; as in our Domeftic 
Fowls, if they be permitted to fit, the laying ceafes, but if the Eggs are removed 
that Ihould have afforded the )"oung Brood, they lay on. 
Thus every Morning there is a Succeflion of Buds, which, when the S,un grows 
warm upon them, burfl: at once into thefe noble Flowers : an elegant and wonder- 
ful Appearance. 
The five Filaments fhew this Shrub to be one of .the Pentandria, the fifth 
Clafs in the Sexual Syftem. 
The Flower varies amazingly under their Culture in regard to Colour, but they 
have not, fo far as I learn, made any Advance towards Doubling it. 
Azalea floribus fubfolitarils, calycibus pilofis« Linn, 
