CAMELLIA, Ica-triirya, a genus of plants belonging to the family Ternstrcemsacers, beautiful flowering shrubs, natives of Asia. The name Camellia was given to this genus by Linnaeus in honor of 'Camel or Camellus, a Moravian Jesuit. Camellia japonica, as it grows in the woods and gardens of Japan and China, is a lofty tree of beautiful proportions, and clothed with a deep green, shining foliage, with large, elegant flowers, either single or double, and of a red or pure white color. There are numerous varieties of this species in China, the greater part of which have found their way to Europe and America, while other new varieties have been produced by breeding. The double-white, double-striped and double waratah, the last so called from the central petals resembling those of the waratah plant of Australia, are considered the finest varieties, and both grow and flower well. The peony flowered and fringed are also much admired. The oil-bearing camellia (C. sasanqua) is cuL tivated for its seeds, from which an oil is expressed that is very generally used by the Chinese in their cookery. It thrives best in a
red sandy soil, and attains a height of six to eight feet, producing a profusion of white blossoms and seeds. Besides these species C. reticulata is cultivated.
The single red camellia is propagated by cuttings, layers and seeds. It forms suitable stocks, on which the others are either Marched or budded and engrafted. The cuttings to be selected are the ripened shoots of the preceding summer; these are taken off in August, being cut smoothly at a joint or bud; two or three of the lower leaves are taken off, and the cut tings then planted firmly in the soil with a dibble. Inarching or engrafting is performed early in spring, when the plants begin to grow. A few seeds are sometimes obtained from the single red and semi-double camellias, and from the single waratah. These require two years to come up, but make the best stocks of any. CAMELOPARD. See GIRAFFE.