Aprn B. less ] 
JOURl'^AL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
271 
C VMELLIAS have had a long term of popn’arity, and though per¬ 
haps the demand for collections of varieties has decreased some¬ 
what in the past few years their utility is still widely recognised, 
■and for decorative purposes the flowers are supplied to the florists 
and markets in far greater numbers than ever. Hardwooded plants 
have been neglected in favour of the more easily grown softwooded 
plants in many establishments where it has become a necessity thit 
a large annual supply of flowers he unfailingly produced, but there 
is no reason why Camellias should be included amongst the un¬ 
certain plants to be avoided. With ordinary attention they are by 
no means difficult to grow. They are handsome as specimen plants 
•whether in flower or not, as the glossy rich green foliage is at all 
dimes beautiful, and when large ■well established healtliy specimens 
ivre obtained their wax-like symmetrical flowers can be cut by 
hundreds either for home use c r for sale. There is a steady advance 
in the demand for Camellias, and few plants are more worth}' cd 
increased attention. 
Before referring to the best varieties in cultivation at the pre¬ 
sent time, a glance at the long and gradually developed history of 
the Camellia in cultivation may not be without interest to some 
readers. The first published description of Camellia japonica of 
which we have any definite knowledge was that by the botanist 
Petiver, which appeared in 1702 with an illustration of the plant 
under the name of Thea chinensis, followed by Ksempfer’s de¬ 
scription ten years later. These notices attracted the attention of 
botanists and amateur patrons of horticulture, with the result that 
the plant was introduced probably both to the Continent and this 
country, but the exact date is not known. The single red Camellia 
is said to ha\'e been cultivated by Robert James Lord Petre before 
1739, and the authority for this statement named in Aiton’s “ Hortus 
Ivewensis ” is Edward’s “ Birds,” where it seems to be mentioned as 
Rosa chinensis. From that time until the publication of Thun- 
bsrg’s “ Flora Japonica” in 1784, little appeared concerning the 
Camellia, and strangely enough it is not included in Phillip 
Miller’s “ G-ardener’s Dictionary,” though it was subsequently 
published in Martyn’s edition. Thunberg describes both C. 
japonica and the small-flowered C. Sasanqua (which is figured), 
and remarks respecting the former that many varieties are culti¬ 
vated in Japan, single and double, white, red, and different colours. 
The first edition of Aiton’s “ Hortus Kewensis ” was published in 
1789, and C. japonica was then included in that collection, but no 
varieties are named. According to the particulars accompanying a 
figure of the Double White (alba plena) in Andrew’s “ Botanists’ 
Repository ” in 1799, this fine old variety, together with the double 
striped, was imported from China in 1793 by Capt. Connor to the 
garden of a Mr. T. Slater, and when the figure ■was taken the 
best plant was in Sir Joseph Banks’ garden. It is worthy of re¬ 
mark that at the time named Camellias were grown in a hothouse, 
but cultivators soon found this was unsuited to the plants, and in a 
few years we read of some being placed out of doors. An excellent 
flower is represented in the plate, as weU formed and full as the 
best of the present time. A good illustration was also given in the 
following year (1800) of the Double Striped, in 1802 one was 
published of the Double Red, which was introduced by Mr. R. Pres¬ 
ton of Woodford in 1794, and “ The Botanical Magazine ” for 1796 
No. 40G.— YoL. XVI., Third Series. 
(t. 42), included a plate of the Single Red Camellia, the first variety 
known in England. 
At the commenceme t of the nineteenth cer.tury there were 
thus at Last four recognised and named varieties in garden cultiva¬ 
tion here, but though Mattyn’s edition of •'Miller’s Dictionary ' 
was published in 1807 it only mentions the three species—japonica, 
Sasanqua, and olsifera—without referring to tlie vaiieties. The 
second edition of Aiton’s “Hortus Kewensis” (1812), howmver, 
names ten varieties—the Single Red, Semi-double Red, Middle- 
mist’s Red, Myrtle-leaved Red, Anemone-flowered or Waratab, 
Pffiony-flowered. Double-striped, Blush, Buff, and Double White. 
One of these—The Blush—better known as Lady Hume’s Blush 
(“ B daiiical Register,” t. 112), ■was introduced in 1806, and named 
i.n honour of Lady Amelia Hume, AVoi mleybury, Herts, and 
be ame a great favourite in all the early collections ; it is, indeed, 
occasionally seen now in old gardens. The flower is somewhat 
star-shaped, with the petals overlapping each other in several series 
radiating fiom the centre, and not regularly imbricated, as in alba 
plena for example. It is of a delicate blush tint, distinct, and 
pretty, but for perfection of form cannot be compared with the 
more recent productions. Anemoniflora or the Waratah was in 
troduced to the Royal Gardens, Kew, in the same year as the last 
named, and ■va^as figured in the “Botanical Magazine” (t. 1654) 
from a plant at Mr. Griffins’ in South Lambeth. This also is a very 
distinct variety, tbe flowers having six broad guard petals and a 
dense tufted centie of small petals regularly arranged some-n’hat in 
the manner termed equitant by botanists, and the colour is a deep 
red. Some other varieties are found in collections under the name 
of the Waratah, but the general f n'm is the same, the colour 
differs slightly, and the outer guard petals are more evenly filled up. 
The M}Ttle-leaved Camellia, a little-known slender-growing 
variety, reached Kew in 1808, and C. Sasanqua in 1811. The last- 
mentioned is an interesting plant, though it has not been concerned 
in the production of the present race of Camellias. It is noted and 
figured in Staunton’s account of Macartney’s Embassy to China, 
the following appearing in Stockdale’s edition (1797) :—“ The 
petals of this plant, called by the Chinese Cha-whan, or Flower of 
Tea, from their resemblance to each other, and likewise because the 
flowers with those of the Arabian Jessamine are sometimes mixed 
amongst the Teas in order to increase their flavour. CammUia 
Sasanqua, which grows upon the tops and sides of mountains, is 
assiduously cultivated. It bears a nut from which is expressed an 
edible oil equal to the best imported from Florence.” In a list of 
flo^ivers used for imparting fragrance to Teas, published many years 
after by Mr. Robert Fortune, this Camellia is not mentioned, and it 
is probable that others of a more suitable character had been 
substituted. It may also be added that the concluding remarks 
of the quotation given seem to refer to Camellia oleifera, which was 
introduced by the Macartney Embassy, but subsequently lost, and 
re-introduced by Capt. Nesbitt in 1820. 
The earliest English-raised seedlings from seed ripened in this 
country of which -we can obtain any information are the one named 
Wiltoni, that is said to Irave been flowered by Mr. Knight in 1814, 
and the single white raised at Tooting about the same time ; but as 
seeds are readily produced by some of the single and semi-double 
varieties, other horticulturists may have succeeded previously to the 
date named. Certainly in three or four years afterwards at least 
eight named seedlings were in commerce as the results of crossing 
the introduced ■varieties. Returning to the chronology of the 
imported varieties we find that in 1816 C. maliflora, a slender 
growing form of the Sasanqua type 'with double pink flowers, was 
sent to Mrs. Palmer’s garden, Bromley, Kent, by Capt. Rawes, -who, 
by the way, brought from China at the same time Primula 
proenitens, now such an important garden plant under the name 
of P. sinensis. According to another account the Primula was 
introduced with Camellia reticulata in 1820, but by the same 
Captain. In the same year, however, a much nmre beautiful 
No. 2062 .— VoL. LXXVHl., C LD Series. 
