plant, bearing blossoms of an intense carmine, and having 
a stature equal to that of a small tree, but not hard y enough 
to live in the open air in this country, and also less beautiful 
than might be anticipated from the rich colour of its 
flowers, in consequence of the small size of its bunches. 
Some years ago it occurred to Lord Caernarvon, that if a 
hybrid variety could be obtained between this and some 
one of the hardy American species, the result would be a 
more robust constitution on the one hand, and a great bril- 
liancy of colouring on the other ; and also that if the pollen 
of R. arboreum could be employed, the stature of the 
hybrid would also be increased. 
An opportunity of ascertaining the justness of these 
expectations having occurred, the experiment was tried in 
the manner detailed in the following letter from Mr. Gowen. 
How completely Lord Caernarvon's anticipations were 
realised, is shewn by the same account, and by the accom- 
panying figure. To the hardiness of R. catawbiense is 
added the arborescent habit and rich colours of R. arbo- 
reum, while the contracted clusters of the latter are ex- 
changed for the spreading bunches of the former. — — 
* My Dear Sir, “ Highclere, May 13, 1831. 
“ You desire to have the history of the lovely Rho- 
dodendrons of which I sent you flowers a short time ago. They are 
intermediate between the magnificent Rhododendron arboreum of 
Nipal and a seedling Rhododendron from R. catawbiense, which had 
been fertilised by the pollen of Rhododendron ponticum. From the 
period of the introduction of Rhododendron arboreum into the 
Highclere Garden by my friend Dr. Wallich, and more particularly 
since its inability to withstand the rigour of this climate had been 
ascertained, Lord Caernarvon became desirous of producing a cross 
breed between it and the hardy species. We were not fortunate in 
bringing Rhododendron arboreum into bloom so early as we wished. 
Being on a visit at the Grange in the autumn of 1825, I observed a 
specimen, which had been planted out in Mr. Baring's magnificent 
Conservatory, with flower-buds upon it. Mrs. Baring was so kind 
as to place one of the umbels at my disposal when it should come to 
flower. Three plants of hardy Rhododendrons were selected early in 
the winter, and removed from out-borders into boxes in readiness; 
and early in the spring of 1826, I received from the Gardener at the 
Grange a fine umbel of the flowers of Rhododendron arboreum in a 
tin case. Their pollen was used in fertilising the flowers of the hardy 
Species which, by previous concert, had been brought into contem- 
poraneous bloom. The result was the production of a number of 
— 
x 
