April 21, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
687 
ANEMONE BLANDA. 
To all intents and purposes this is merely a form of 
A. apennina, differing chiefly in the greater size of 
the flowers and in the variability of their colours. 
They consist of fifteen to twenty-one sepals of an 
intense blue in the type, but varying through all 
paler shades to pure white, or white internally and 
pale blue externally. Another peculiarity of this 
species is that the flowers close up and hang down 
when the sun sets or is even still sinking, so that in 
the early morning, late in the afternoon, and in the 
evening they have quite a different appearance from 
that which they possess when the sun is shining 
brightly and warmly upon them. The pale blue 
ones may appear pure white when fully expanded 
during the day. All the varying shades we noted in 
a recently imported lot of A. blanda, collected in 
their native wilds and flowering in the nursery of 
Messrs. Barr & Son, Long Ditton, where they have 
been blooming for many weeks past. 
CYTISUS ARDOINI. 
In general appearance this dwarf Broom is not 
unlike Genista pilosa, and G. procumbens, and like 
them it is well adapted for planting on the rockery 
on account of its neat and semi-procumbent stems 
and branches, which spread over and amongst the 
stones in a very interesting way, and become 
furnished with golden yellow flowers which are 
produced in clusters of one to six all along the wood 
of the previous year. The leaves consist of three 
hairy leaflets, and in that respect differ from thdfee of 
most species of Genista in cultivation. The stems 
vary from qin. to gin. in height, when they assume 
an upright habit, but on the Maritime Alps, its 
native home, the plant is very low and produces 
a large number of branches from a gnarled and 
twisted rootstock when it gets very old. We noted 
some plants in the nursery of Messrs. Barr & Son, 
Long Ditton. 
CHIONODOXA LUCILIAE TMOLUSII. 
The season of flowering of this spring bulb is con¬ 
siderably extended by the different forms and species. 
Most of the largest and showiest kinds are varieties 
of C. Luciliae, even if for garden purposes they may 
be looked upon as distinct The last of all to flower 
is that under notice; for it is now in perfection in 
the Lily border at Kew, where a number of kinds 
are grown in juxtaposition and under exactly the 
same conditions. All the others have gone out of 
bloom. The segments of the flower are narrower 
and more starry in appearance than the type, and 
the upper half of each is of a bright blue while the 
lower half is white. The whole plant is very dwarf 
when grown in the open air, where all the kinds 
should be grown, for they appear to the best 
advantage when not drawn up by artificial heat and 
a deficiency of air. 
EXOCHORDA GRANDIFLORA. 
The absence of late spring frosts of any serious 
character has enabled this plant to make a good 
growth, and it is now flowering abundantly even in 
the open ground and quite unprotected by walls or 
anything else. The plant is closely allied to Spiraea, 
but has much larger flowers than any species of that 
genus, and flowers earlier than the most of them; 
in fact, with exception of S. Thunbergii, the Spiraeas 
are not yet in evidence. Exochorda is liable to 
suffer from spring frosts owing to its early growth in 
our climate, but even in such a case the injury is 
only temporary, although the flowers may be spoiled 
for a season. As spring gives place to early summer, 
subsequent growth effaces the appearance of any 
injury which may have been sustained. In the 
absence cf severe frost, however, the snowy flowers 
become highly conspicuous by contrast with the 
fresh green grass when planted upon a lawn. It is 
equally amenable for planting in the shrubbery, but 
never appears more natural and to better effect than 
when isolated upon the grass where it forms a broad 
and round-headed spreading bush about 5 ft. or 6 ft. 
high. With the aid and shelter of a wall it will 
grow to the height of 10 ft. or more. 
CYTISUS BIFLORUS. 
Individually the flowers of this shrub are not very 
conspicuous, but they are produced in such pro¬ 
fusion, that a plant about a yard or more high, and 
as far through, becomes a very conspicuous object. 
They are tubular, yellow, and produced as a rule in 
clusters of four all along the wood of the previous 
year. The branches are twiggy and arching, but 
they seem to be borne down by the weight of flowers. 
The margin of the mixed shrubbery is the best place 
for it, or high banks where the drooping branches 
will have most play and be seen to the best effect. 
It seems to be flowering earlier than usual, for it 
has been loaded with blossom for some time past. 
- I -- 
THE ROSE OF JAPAN. 
Why is it that the Camellia—once the favourite 
buttonhole flower of society—has become so much 
neglected in these days ? We find the Rose, the 
Carnation, the Orchid, and others now employed for 
buttonhole decoration, but the Camellia scarcely 
ever ; and while Roses and Carnations are practically 
forced subjects, blooming at this time of the year 
because favoured with protection and warmth, the 
Camellia blooms naturally at midwinter and early 
spring, and is always in its fullest beauty thus early. 
The Camellia is an introduction from the extreme 
Orient—it is the “ beauteous Rose of Japan,’' the 
Camellia japonica of botanists. 
It is many years ago since the plant found its way 
into Europe. It was as far back as 1639 that G. J. 
Kamel, or Camellus, a Moravian Jesuit, and a 
traveller in Asia, on returning to Spain from the Isle 
of Luzon, sought an audience of Queen Maria 
Theresa and presented her with a mother-of-pearl 
vase in which grew a small shrub with glossy green 
leaves, bearing two flowers of dazzling whiteness. 
Plucking the fair bloom, the Queen ran to the King’s 
chamber, which he was pacing in one of his 
periodical fits of melancholy. "Behold the new 
flower of the Phillipines,’’ she cried, as her husband 
welcomed her with a fond embrace. “ I have kept 
the best for you; the other you shall present to-night 
to Rosalez, who plays so well in Cimea, at the 
Theatre del Principe.’’ King Ferdinand pro¬ 
nounced the flower of which his wife was so 
enraptured to be "beautiful but scentless’’; but 
spite of the latter defect, which is characteristic of 
all the varieties in cultivation in our day, the plant 
was assiduously cultivated in the hothouses of El 
Buen Ritero, and called after the giver the Camellia. 
In its native land the Camellia grows into a lofty 
tree. There it is greatly esteemed by the natives 
for the beauty of its flowers and evergreen foliage, 
and is grown everywhere in their groves and gardens; 
it is also a native of China, and figures frequently in 
Chinese paintings. Along the sea coast in the South 
of England, and in the South-'VVest and extreme 
Western districts, the Camellia grows into a stately 
tree in the open, and flowers prodigiously. It is the 
production of so much bloom that prevents the tree 
from making a great deal of growth. 
The Introduction of the Camellia to England. 
It is said to have been introduced to this country 
by Lord Petre in 1739, and the normal form was a 
single red-flowered species. But it was not until the 
year 1792 that any of the double-flowered varieties 
were introduced to this country, and the two first 
were from China—the double white and the double 
striped, followed a little later by the double red. 
Some others followed, and then English cultivators 
turned their attention to the production of new 
varieties from seed. Most of the Camellias have 
handsomely rounded petals ; one named Fimbriata 
has fringed petals, almost, if not quite, the only one 
possessing this peculiarity; and there is what is 
known as the Waratah Camellia, which has a 
margin of broad petals, and a raised cone-like centre 
of small ones, something in the way of a Hollyhock. 
One of the richest coloured of the double Camellias 
is named C. M. Hovey ; it is of a scarlet-crimson 
colour, large, of fine shape, and very handsome. 
Large collections are grown by some nurserymen ; 
that of Messrs. William Paul & Son, of Waltham 
Cross, who make a speciality of this flower, numbers 
some 200 varieties. The collection there at this 
season of the year forms a feature that is perfectly 
unique, and is remarkable for its magnitude, the 
exceptional dimensions of many of the specimens, 
and its thoroughly representative character. 
At a recent meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, Messrs. William Paul & Son staged a 
collection of specimen plants of Camellias in full 
bloom, and a number of cut blooms also, and, I 
think, I am justified instating that were it not for 
the spirited enterprise of this firm there would be 
but little opportunity of seeing the Camellia at the 
London exhibitions. Foremost among the varieties 
seen on this occasion was a very fine variety of their 
own raising, named Exquisite, an admirable grower, 
colour, clear rose, some of the blossoms blotched 
with white. An Award of Merit was made to it. 
Other fine varieties were alba plena, probably the 
. oldest variety of Camellia japonica in cultivation, 
as I find it in a catalogue published in 1817 ; Andrea 
Doria, deep red; Benneyi, red, occasionally striped 
with white; C. M. Hovey, scarlet-crimson, one of 
the very finest; Elegans, rosy-pink ; Fatima, red; 
Fimbriata, white, very fine ; L’Avenir, rose, margined 
and striped, also very good; Leopoldo Benucci, 
rose, with a central band of white; Marchioness of 
Exeter, bright rose, large, and fine; Mathotraera. 
dark shaded crimson, large, very fine ; Montironiand 
its variety Vera, both white, but quite distinct; 
Princess Charlotte, white, faint rose blotches; and 
Rose de la Renie, crimson, occasionally striped with 
white. The foregoing may be taken as a fine 
selection. It may be stated that the only warmth 
given to the Camellias at Waltham Cross is just 
enough to exclude frost, and plenty of air is given 
from morning till evening. I think many of the 
failures experienced by amateurs in growing 
Camellias is giving them a hot and dry atmosphere 
—a prolific source of buds falling. 
Its Adaptability as a Winter Plant 
Anyone desiring to witness this should pay a visit 
to Messrs. James Veitch & Son’s Camellia house in 
the hulham Road, S.W., where they can see large 
specimens of vigorous growth in full bloom, a very 
fine floral spectacle at this season of the year. To 
do it complete justice it should have a house to 
itself, or if this cannot be afforded it, it should be 
placed as near the light as possible, and does well 
planted out in a conservatory border. A house for 
Camellias need not afford so much light for other 
plants ; but if there is an abundance of light, some 
shade is necessary for the plants during the summer 
months, say from March till September. Nor is it 
necessary the house should be freely ventilated, for 
during the early part of the year the plants do not need 
much air ; they can scarcely have too much during 
summer and autumn, when the ventilators may be 
left open, and indeed it is a practice with many to 
set the plants outside in the open to ripen the wood 
and perfect the flower buds. During the winter, 
and especially in times of severe frost, a little fire 
heat is of great value to the plants, and it has been 
found that those plants succeed best which have been 
maintained during winter in a temperature of some¬ 
thing like 60°. The practice of putting the plants 
out of doors, ostensibly to ripen the wood, is not 
nearly so much followed as it used to be; and it is 
found that plants which remain under glass all the 
year round generally succeed best. But where glass 
space is restricted, it is often found necessary to 
place the plants in the open in order to provide 
space for something else ; then they should occupy a 
sheltered spot, and at the same time a somewhat sunny 
one, and be well looked after in the matter of water. 
The plants can go out into the open about May, 
according to the weather, and be taken in again by 
the end of September. 
Soil for the Camellia. 
I have known Camellias to do well in a mixture 
of peat and sand, but when so grown they need to 
be sharply looked after. If anyone has some good 
soft yellow loam, such as the common Fern will 
grow [in, and some good fine leaf soil and silver 
sand mixed with it, the Camellia will do well in it, 
and in the act of potting the soil should be pressed 
firmly into the pots. Loose potting is injurious to 
the Camellia, therefore pot firmly. It is not neces¬ 
sary to re-pot every year ; instead of re-potting, the 
pots can be top-dresesd with good soil, or they can 
be helped by means of sprinkling a fertilizer on the 
surface—such as Standen’s manure for hard-wooded 
plants. As soon as the plants show signs of having 
fallen into a sickly condition, then re-potting 
becomes a necessity. The time to pot is directly 
after the plants have completed their spring or early 
summer growth. The pots should be clean when 
employed, and sufiicient drainage should be provided, 
I may add that the commercial value of the Camellia 
is practically nil. When calling upon Mr. George 
Cannon, at the St. John’s Nursery, Ealing, a few 
weeks ago, I saw he was able to cut some very fine 
double white Camellias ; but he said that, beautiful 
and chaste in appearance as they were, there was 
scarcely any sale for them, but Eucharis and other 
white flowers were in large demand.— R. D. 
