Ht4 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[July, 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



THE AILANTHUS. 



I«Y MK. A. VKirciI, Xi;\V HAVEN, CONN. 



I notice in May ininiber of Monihhj that Gen. 

 W. H. Ndblc, Bridp;eport, Conn., in speaking of 

 the Aihinthus, is inclined to believe there are 

 more than one species in cultivation, which be- 

 lief seems to rest upon the fact that there is 

 great diversity of color in the ripening foliage 

 of different trees. This difference we have of- 

 ten noticed, but it is not sufficient to constitute 

 a species in this case, any more than in the Ma- 

 ple or the Beech. In the Beech, or Fagus syl- 

 vatica, there are several well marked varieties 

 in cultivation, chiefly distinguishable by the 

 color of their leaves, and are known by such 

 names as F. sylvatica atrorubens, cuprea, fol. 

 variegata, fol. aureus, &c. And we may yet 

 hope, when the Ailanthus receives the attention 

 it deserves, such varieties as Gen. Noble speaks 

 of will be sought after with as much avidity as 

 some novelties now are, and their fitness for or- 

 namental purposes fully appreciated. 



It seems more than likely A. glandulosa is the 

 only one grown in the Northern United States. 

 The other species, A. excelsa, according to Lou- 

 don, is an evergreen tree, fifty feet in height ; a 

 native of the East Indies, and requires greenhouse 

 protection ; was introduced into Britain in 1800; 

 leaves abruptly pinnated ; leaflets serrated. The 

 leaves of glandulosa are pinnated with an odd 

 one; leaflets toothed at the base; teeth glandular. 



CULTURE OF HARDY RHODODENDRONS. 



BY WALTER ELDER, PHILADELPHIA. 



The conflicting statements of your corres- 

 pondents in regard to Rhododendron culture are, 

 I think, calculated to deter others from making 

 the attempt. But, that hereabouts, at least, 

 they can be grown with very little extra care, 

 there are many cases to prove. At the home of 

 David Landreth, at Bloomsdale, they have been 

 successfully cultivated for over a quarter of a 

 century. The first lot set out was alongside of 

 a building with eastern exposure. Others were 

 set out in different exposures as time w'ent on, 

 and now all flourish and bloom profusely every 

 May. No other preparations were made for 

 them than digging holes, pulverizing the soil, 



and putting the surface turf in the bottom of 

 the holes, gras.sy side undermost. They were at 

 first mulched with saw dust. The soil is light 

 loam, the land n(>arly fiat. I have observed that 

 the plants set near to tree-stems and those 

 exposed to sunshine from 4 p. M. to sunset, are 

 of loan growth ; yet they bloom well. Those 

 set well off from the trees, but yet partially 

 shaded by their branches after mid-afternoon, 

 arc very hemispherical bushes, their foliage 

 wholly hiding their wood: and they blossom 

 j^rofusoly, annually. I advise all who can, to 

 visit Bloomsdale in May and see the plants in 

 bloom. 



Twelve years ago I purchased in Robt. Buist's 

 nursery some Rhododendrons which were grow- 

 ing in a heavy loam, and were fully exposed to 

 Summer sunshine and Winter storm. I plant- 

 ed them upon a bed of garden soil, enriched for 

 previous crops. They all fiourished and bloomed 

 profusely. Seven years afterwards when I vis- 

 ited the place, they were still doing finely. I 

 have planted for many others around Philadel- 

 phia, and they universally do well. There may 

 be latitudes, altitudes, localities and exposures, 

 that may not suit the culture of hardy Rhodo- 

 dendrons, but I think the extravagant prepara- 

 tions of rich composts, three feet deep, prevent 

 success. The extraordinary protection some- 

 times given in Winter may also injure them. 

 Mr. Robert Buist once stated in your columns 

 that the Ponticum and its sub-varieties were 

 tender. I have found them as hardy as others 

 here. Their leaves are long and narrow, much 

 reflected, and of a dull green color, and are 

 very smooth. Most of their blooms are tinged 

 with lilac. 



BEAUTY OF GLAZENWOOD ROSE. 



Allow me, please, to say a word about this 

 rose, about which so much has been recently 

 said in regard to its being the same as Fortune's 

 Yellow Rose, and the cry that has been made 

 about " fraud " and " humbug " in connection 

 therewith. There are so many people in the 

 world who love to believe that every thing in- 

 troduced is a fraud and a sham, that nothing 

 gives them so much pleasure as to believe they 

 have " found a skunk " which they can prove to 

 the world is really and truly one. These people 

 never allow that there is any room for an hon- 



