THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 237 



solidity over the bottom. The best compost that could possibly be 

 devised for filling the beds with, may be prepared by well incor- 

 porating together two parts each of turfy loam and fibry peat, and 

 one part each of leaf-mould and road or river sand. Where peat 

 cannot be had without a considerable expense being incurred, a 

 mixture consisting of two parts loam, and half a part each of leaf- 

 mould, decayed cow-dung, and sand, should be employed. A depth 

 of two feet will be quite sufficient for all but extra large specimens ; 

 and previous to filling in the soil, put a layer of thin turves over the 

 rubble if it is considered desirable to place a layer in the bottom of 

 the bed. Unless the loose material is covered with a layer of turf or 

 some other covering, a considerable proportion of the finer portion 

 of the soil will, previous to its becoming consolidated, run down into 

 the crevices and impede the escape of the surplus water after the 

 heavy rains or artificial waterings. 



The month of August is the most suitable for planting rhodo- 

 dendrons ; but they may, in common with other American plants, be 

 planted in the two following months with every reasonable prospect 

 of success. A few liberal waterings, after the beds are planted, 

 will be necessary if the weather happens to set in dry, and a sprinkle 

 overhead in the evening of bright sunny days will be of immense 

 service in enabling them to become established. In planting mixed 

 beds, the rhododendrons should be put in the centre, the azaleas 

 next to them, and a i'ew dwarf-growing subjects, such as the hardy 

 heaths and androraedas, round the outside, to hide the bare stems 

 of the azaleas when they are leafless during the winter months. 

 AVhen once established, they practically take care of themselves, 

 for beyond the removal of a branch now and then that is taking 

 the lead of others on the same plant, they require no pruning or 

 training. In dry seasons, soaking the beds thoroughly with water 

 once or twice a week until the completion of the young growth, 

 will be of immense assistance; but if the watering is continued 

 after the young growth is made, the plants will probably make a 

 second growth, instead of forming flower-buds, and in the majority 

 of seasons they will be able to take care of themselves. The 

 varieties of llhododendron pouticum are cheap and effective; but 

 they are decidedly inferior to the following hybrids, which comprise 

 the best in cultivation, with the exception of a few of the newest, 

 which are at present too expensive to include in a list of this kind : — 

 Alarm, Album elegans, Album grandiflorum, Archimedes, Atrosan- 

 guineum, Barclayanum, Blandijanum, Brayanum, Bylsianum, Charles 

 Dickens, Concessum, Omentum, Delicatissima, Elfrida, Everestianum, 

 Fastuosum florepleno, Francis Dickson, Guido, Hogarth, John 

 Spencer, John Waterer, Lady Armstrong, Lady Clermont, Lady 

 Eleanor Ga'hcart, Lady Francis Grossley, Lord John Russell, 

 Lucidum, Maculatum superbum, Magnum Bonum, Mdnei, Minnie, 

 Mrs. John Glutton, Mrs. John Waterer, Mrs. B. S. Holford, Mrs. 

 William Bovill, Ne Flits Ultra, Nero, Perfection, Purity, Boseum 

 ehgans, Boseum grandiflorum, Standard of Flanders, Stella, isher- 

 u-oodianum, The Queen, The Warrior, Titian, Victoria, William 

 Austin, William Downing. 



