COPVRICHT, 1898, BV 



rbORISTS' PUBUIStllNC CO., 520-535 Caxton Building, GHIGAGO. 



Vol. n. 



CHICAGO AND NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 3, 1898. 



No. 49. 



AZALEA INDICA. 



(From advance sheets of the Florists' 

 Manual, by William Scott.) 



Of all the species of this beautiful 

 genus, the Indian or Cliinese are the 

 most valuable. The growers of conti- 

 nental Europe have made such a spe- 

 cialty of growing azaleas that it is not 

 likely that we Shall for some time look 



any improvements on existing varie- 

 ties. 



They can also be propagated from 

 cuttings by inserting the cutting in 

 sand. A cutting of 2I2 or 3 inches of 

 what is known as half-ripened wood 

 is best; that is. the young growth of 

 spring, not in too green or succulent 

 a state, as you would a verbena, nor 



Indian Azalea. 



to any other source for our supply. 

 They may have neither soil, climate 

 nor labor more suitable than we have 

 in many parts of this continent, but 

 certain it is that witli our present fa- 

 cilities or methods we cannot begin to 

 raise an azalea at anything like the 

 same cost and quality as those import- 

 ed. New varieties are, of course, raised 

 from seed, and at the third season you 

 will be able to see whether you have 



too much ripened and hard. A closely 

 shaded frame with some heat under 

 the sand, either from pipes or ma- 

 nure, would be the most favorable con- 

 dition. They are slow to root, and in 

 our climate the little plants or cut- 

 tings are so liable to the attacks of 

 thrip and red spider during the sum- 

 mer months, and so difficult to re- 

 move, thait proipaglatiom by cuttiugs is 

 not worthy of consideration, either to 



produce a fine plant or for profitable 

 operation. All the plants we handle in 

 our business are grafted. Desirable 

 and popular varieties are grafted on 

 stocks raised from the seed of some 

 strong growing varieties. Our chief 

 interest in the azalea is how to han- 

 dle them when they arrive here, and 

 how to care for those unsold, wJiich 

 should make, by good care, a fine plant 

 for the second or third year. 

 Soil. 



It is generally acknowledged that a 

 soil containing lime is very unsuit- 

 able for azaleas or any of the order 

 ericaceae, which includes the heaths, 

 rhododendrons, etc. It will be noticed 

 that in some soils the plants imported 

 and potted in October have made 

 scarcely any young roots into the soil 

 we give them. The Belgians grow 

 them in fibrous peat, which in 

 most parts of our country is difficult 

 to obtain. But peat is not entirely 

 essential. Two-thirds of turfy loam, 

 not sifted, but just broken up, and 

 one-third of leaf mould, will make a 

 good compost in which azaleas will 

 thrive. It to the above is added one- 

 tenth of finely sifted decomposed cow 

 or sheep manure, so much the better. 



When unpacked, the roots are often 

 found dry. They have also rooted so 

 freely that to pot them just as re- 

 ceived would want an unwieldy sized 

 pot. The ball of earth can be reduced 

 one-third by shaking off the soil or 

 what appears to do the plant little or 

 no 'harm. Considerable of the ball can 

 be reduced by slicing off an incli or so 

 with a sharp knife or hatchet. When 

 the ball is reduced to the required 

 size — and it should only be done when 

 the roots would require a pot out of 

 proportion to the plant — soak the ball 

 of roots in a tub of water for a few 

 seconds. Pot firmly. If the soil is 

 left loose, it will only be a channel for 

 the water to run down and escape the 

 roots that need it. 



