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N^o41

There being no English name to this plant, we have adopted that of Slipper-wort, in imitation of Calceolaria, which is derived from Calceolus, a little shoe or slipper.

This species of Calceolaria is one of the many plants introduced into our gardens, since the time of Miller: it is an annual, a native of Peru, and, of course, tender: though by no means a common plant in our gardens, it is as easily raised from seed as any plant whatever. These are to be sown on a gentle hot-bed in the spring; the seedlings, when of a proper size, are to be transplanted into the borders of the flower-garden, where they will flower, ripen, and scatter their seeds; but being a small delicate plant, whose beauties require a close inspection, it appears to most advantage in a tan stove, in which, as it will grow from cuttings, it may be had to flower all the year through, by planting them in succession.

This latter mode of treatment is used by Mr. Hoy, Gardener to his Grace of Northumberland, at Sion-House, where this plant may be seen in great perfection.

[42]

Camellia Japonica. Rose Camellia.

Class and Order.

Monadelphia Polyandria.

Generic Character.

Calyx imbricatus, polyphyllus: foliolis interioribus majoribus.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

CAMELLIA japonica foliis acute serratis acuminatis. Lin. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. p. 632. Thunberg Fl. Japon. t. 273.

TSUBAKI Kempfer Amœn. 850. t. 851.

ROSA chinensis. Ed. av. 2. p. 67. t. 67.

THEA chinensis pimentæ jamaicensis folio, flore roseo. Pet. Gaz. t. 33. fig. 4.

N^o42

This most beautiful tree, though long since figured and described, as may be seen by the above synonyms, was a stranger to our gardens in the time of Miller, or at least it is not noticed in the last edition of his Dictionary.

It is a native both of China and Japan.

Thunberg, in his Flora Japonica, describes it as growing every where in the groves and gardens of Japan, where it becomes a prodigiously large and tall tree, highly esteemed by the natives for the elegance of its large and very variable blossoms, and its evergreen leaves; it is there found with single and double flowers, which also are white, red, and purple, and produced from April to October.

Representations of this flower are frequently met with in Chinese paintings.

With us, the Camellia is generally treated as a stove plant, and propagated by layers; it is sometimes placed in the greenhouse; but it appears to us to be one of the properest plants imaginable for the conservatory. At some future time it may, perhaps, not be uncommon to treat it as a Laurustinus or Magnolia: the high price at which it has hitherto been sold, may have prevented its being hazarded in this way.

The blossoms are of a firm texture, but apt to fall off long before they have lost their brilliancy; it therefore is a practice with some to stick such deciduous blossoms on some fresh bud, where they continue to look well for a considerable time.

Petiver considered our plant as a species of Tea tree; future observations will probably confirm his conjecture.

[43]

Cistus incanus. Hoary, or Rose Cistus.

Class and Order.

Polyandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

Corolla 5-petala. Calyx 5-phyllus, foliolis duobus minoribus. Capsula.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

CISTUS incanus arborescens exstipulatus, foliis spatulatis tomentosis rugosis inferioribus basi connatis vaginantibus. Lin. Syst. Vegetab. p. 497.

CISTUS mas angustifolius. Bauh. Pin. 464.

N^o43

Few plants are more admired than the Cistus tribe; they have indeed one imperfection, their petals soon fall off: this however is the less to be regretted, as they in general have a great profusion of flower-buds, whence their loss is daily supplied. They are, for the most part, inhabitants of warm climates, and affect dry, sheltered, though not shady, situations.

The present species is a native of Spain, and the south of France, and being liable to be killed by the severity of our winters, is generally kept with green-house plants.

It may be propagated either by seeds, or cuttings; the former make the best plants.

[44]

Cyclamen persicum. Persian Cyclamen.

Class and Order.

Pentandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

Corolla rotata, reflexa, tubo brevissimo: fauce prominente. Bacca tecta capsula.

Specific Character.

CYCLAMEN persicum foliis cordatis serratis. Miller's Dict. 4to. ed. 6.

N^o44

Linnæus in this, as in many other genera, certainly makes too few species, having only two; Miller, on the contrary, is perhaps too profuse in his number, making eight. The ascertaining the precise limits of species, and variety, in plants that have been for a great length of time objects of culture, is often attended with difficulties scarcely to be surmounted, is indeed a Gordian Knot to Botanists.

Our plant is the Cyclamen persicum of Miller, and has been introduced into our gardens long since the European ones; being a native of the East-Indies, it is of course more tender than the others, and therefore requires to be treated more in the style of a green-house plant.

It is generally cultivated in pots, in light undunged earth, or in a mixture of loam and lime rubbish, and kept in frames, or on the front shelf of a green-house, where it may have plenty of air in the