104 THE GARDENER. [March 



make admirable plants from seed, but liybrid varieties will not thus 

 reproduce exactly the same characters as the parents ; while layering, 

 except in the case of the few sorts that are naturally dwarf and branch- 

 ing from the roots, such as "Caucasicum" and ^'Noblieanum," is at once 

 a tedious and expensive process, necessarily limited in its application, 

 and possessing few, if any, advantages over grafting. The plant so 

 operated upon is sacrificed, or at least hopelessly disfigured ; and, after 

 all, the product in young plants is at the most so trifling, as to afford 

 no compensation for the years of care necessary to make them present- 

 able in the permanent beds among other specimens. There are, more- 

 over, some of the richest-coloured and most attractive varieties which 

 on their own roots have a rank, robust habit of growth, and consequent 

 shyness in flowering, unfitting them for a place in general collections, 

 but which are modified by grafting, and rendered all that can be 

 desired. 



The best and most commonly-used stocks for grafting are free-grown 

 seedlings of the robust form of the common Ponticum, and the future 

 wellbeing of the plants depends largely upon their being well selected. 

 If they are weakly and stunted to begin with, failure and disappoint- 

 ment will be the sure result, and no amount of cultural skill will ever 

 make them effective or creditable specimens. For the first two or three 

 years after grafting, the stocks, if healthy and vigorous, have a tendency 

 to throw up suckers from the root. These materially weaken the graft 

 if allowed to remain, and should be carefully removed ; and as it ac- 

 quires strength to absorb all the sap the root can supply, they will 

 gradually disappear. The finest specimens are produced from plants 

 on single stems, entirely clear of branches for at least 6 inches above 

 the root ; when they are intended to stand singly in prominent situa- 

 tions, even 12 or 18 inches will not be found, after a few years' growth, 

 too much. The lower branches soon bend down sufiiciently to clothe 

 the stem, while the head acquires a symmetry and uniformity of out- 

 line always pleasing, and which can never be attained by plants with 

 an irregular mass of stems emanating from the root. In ordinary sea- 

 sons, most of the varieties set their seed freely; indeed, almost all the 

 capsules will be found full ; but unless wanted specially, it should never 

 be allowed to ripen, as it entails a severe and unnecessary tax upon the 

 strength of the plant ; and the best course is, immediately after the 

 blossom is decayed, to pinch the trusses off, which at that early stage 

 may easily be done with the finger and thumb. 



For forcing, to decorate the conservatory in winter, Ehododendrons 

 occupy an important place, and one for which it would not be easy to 

 find substitutes. A great many of the sorts are available for this pur- 

 pose j and by a judicious selection, along with skilful management, a 



