246 



THE MANAGEMENT OF GREENHOUSE RHODO- 

 DENDEONS. 



These beautiful plants are, beyond 

 question, the most ornamental objects 

 a greenhouse can contain in the early 

 spring months, exceeding even the 

 azaleas when flowered in perfection, 

 their large and ample foliage heighten- 

 ing to a degree of unsurpassable love- 

 liness the vivid or delicate tints of the 

 very specious flowers, to say nothing 

 of the noble habit of the plant itself: 

 how is it then that we so seldom 

 meet with them, so rarely indeed that 

 their presence is rather the exception 

 than, as it should be, the rule? I 

 know no other reason to be assigned 

 than the too frequent complaints of a 

 failure in the flowering. To prevent, 

 as far as possible, the recurrence of 

 these disappoLutments is my object 

 in this paper ; for I hold it unpar- 

 donable in those possessing a know- 

 ledge of the proper management of a 

 tribe of plants having so many claims 

 to attention, to sufi'er them to fall into 

 disrepute from neglecting to make 

 that necessary knowledge known. 



The management of rhododen- 

 drons is in itself extremely simple 

 when understood ; yet, to explain it, 

 I must be allowed to go through it 

 in a concise manner. These, like 

 most other American shrubs, delight 

 in light fibrous heath-mould, and 

 should be allowed plenty of it, for 

 they are not fond of frequent shift- 

 ing: repotting should be performed 

 immediately after blooming, that is 

 to say, as soon as the flowers begin 

 to fade ; all the additional stimuli are 

 then thrown into the production of a 

 rich luxuriant growth, on which are 

 based all future expectations ; while 

 growing the plants should be kept 

 in a temperature of about 55" or 60', 

 and receive a very liberal supply of 

 water : this usually occurs about the 

 latter end of April and beginning of 

 May, sometimes a week or two later, 

 according to the period of flowering, 

 and the formation of the new wood 

 generally occupies from three to four 

 weeks. After which follows the most 

 particular point of their management : 



if the watering and warm tempera- 

 ture is continued beyond the period 

 necessary for the due completion of 

 this first growth, another production 

 of new wood immediately follows, 

 which is the sole cause of the non- 

 production of flowers : the prevention 

 of this second growth is what conse- 

 quently requires the cultivator's most 

 particular attention, and is almost the 

 only important point in their culture. 

 It must, however, be observed that 

 it is necessary to get the first formed 

 wood as large and strong as possible, 

 or puny and few will be the flowers ; 

 but it is also equally necessary to 

 discontinue the watering, and to place 

 the plants in a cool situation out of 

 doors immediately it is completed : 

 to do this exactly at the right time 

 requires some considerable amount of 

 practical skUl ; but, when once ascer- 

 tained correctly, everything is per- 

 fectly easy ; the plants then only 

 require just enough water to preserve 

 them from flagging during the heat 

 of summer ; and at the usual time of 

 housing plants, a warm situation in 

 the greenhouse should be secured 

 them. If an early bloom is required, 

 they may be placed in a gentle heat 

 directly after Christmas, though this 

 is better avoided, from the trouble it 

 causes to properly check and ripen 

 the first growth ; because, at that 

 early period of the season in which, 

 forced wood will be produced, it is 

 not safe to place them out of doors, 

 and a greenhouse is seldom cool 

 enough to prevent the second growth. 

 It must be understood, all that 

 has been said relates only to mature 

 flowering plants. The propagation 

 and management of young plants 

 being more particularly a nursery- 

 man's business, I have said nothing 

 of it, though there is no material 

 diSerence, except that, as it will of 

 course be desired to have them as 

 large as possible in the shortest pos- 

 sible time, the second growth may be 

 encouraged rather than prevented. 

 Anglicus. 



