PLATE III
CAMELLIA AITONIA.
MR. AITON’S CAMELLIA.
T his variety, raised from the same Capsule as Plate 8, is named in
compliment to W illiam T ownsend A iton, Esq. of Kew, whose
long-continued friendship for Mr. Ch a n d ler , and whose many acts of
kindness conferred upon us jointly, it is most gratifying to acknowledge.
As affording (in the slang of the day) a perfect development of the
organs of fructification, it seemed more suitable than a double flower to
be attached to a name of Botanical celebrity. The sizê of the bloom,
the delicate pencilling of the petals, with the singular boldness of the
anthers, render this a beautiful specimen of a single flower, and its
tendency to produce seed far exceeds any other Camellia we are
acquainted with : already we have a seedling raised from it, fertilized by
the pollen of the Single White Camellia, and in four or five years we may
hope to see it flower. Long as this period is to anticipate, it is the
shortest time we can reasonably expect, as none of those now introduced
bloomed earlier.
B