748 



HORTICULTURE 



June 8, 1907 



Raising Hardy Rhododendrons 



WHY SO MANY RHODODKXDUOXS ARE TlCNUlii; 



There are a few, so to say, "about hardy" rliododen- 

 drons, hut the only ones that are truly hardy in New 

 England are those who descend from Catavvbiense 

 and maximum. If Catawbiense had not been intro- 

 duced into Europe so long after ponticum, which had 

 been used as a seed bearer in crossing with arboreum 

 and other tender species and gave all those beautiful 

 varieties in cultivation, the chances are that the Ameri- 

 can species would have been taken for crossing purposes 

 and a much liardier set of varieties would now be in 

 cultivation. The fact is that ponticum is an easier and 

 quicker grower, hardy enough in Europe, more liable to 

 cross; as in the seedlings from true ponticum there is 

 always a tendency to variation in color and form of the 

 flower, something much less accentuated in Catawbiense 

 and maximum, and for those reasons, probably, the 

 American species have always been neglected. Since 

 the demand for hardy rhododendrons in our country has 

 begun to increase, however, the hybridizers of Europe 

 are working in that direction and 1 do not see why we 

 ought not to try to get our liardy rhododendrons uur- 

 belves. Parsons' nursery in Flushing iias raised in the 

 past some good varieties which are the leaders among 

 the hardy ones yet, and why sliould not the experiment- 

 ing be followed up? 



Catawbiense, which flowers at the same time as the 

 other varietio.-;, is easy to cross. Although it is a little 

 shy in taking strange pollen, with patience and perse- 

 verance good seed pods can he obtained. Witli maxi- 

 mum this is more ditlicult, but I think that by keeping 

 a few hybrids in cold storage for a while one would 

 have some flowering together for hybridizing purposes. 

 Punctatum could be tried as a seed bearer also. 



TO P.ATSli UllODODEXDnOXS FROM SKED 



There are several methods advocated for raising 

 riiododendrons from seed. I have tried a few ways 

 myself with more or less success. The following is the 

 one which gave me always best rc-^ults. Eight-inch 

 square pans are filled with crocks and moss to the half 

 lieight; good sandy peat is used to fill up the pot, the 



top part of which must be finely sifted, to one-half inch, 

 fi'om the top, and well pressed down. Before seeding 

 the soil must be sprinkled and the seed scattered over 

 it. but not thiclsly, after which the pans have to be 

 covered with glass and put in saucers big enough and 

 iihvays filled with water. An ordinary greenhouse i.-^ 

 all they need, biit they liave to be kept in the dark until 

 germination begins when a little air is given until they 

 are strong enough to have the glass removed. It is best 

 10 start early, as soon as the seeds are ripe, so as to 

 have strong littk' plants before the heat in the spring 

 when they have to be pricked off and planted in the 

 same compost as the seeds, the jjans being kept always 

 in a saucer filled with water. During the summer they 

 have to be kept in a cool, half-shady, damp place, a cold 

 frame being the Iwst ; thrips and damping off when too 

 warm must be guarded against. 



CAKE OF THE YOUNG PT.ANTS 



During the first winter the young plants can be 

 kept in a good cold frame and will be big enough 

 to be planted out in the following spring in frames 

 or beds where they must be kept well-watered and 

 shaded. The first winter out of doors it is 

 best to cover them with turf as they are not yet 

 t-trong enough to test their hardiness. Having been 

 planted only four inches apart it will be necessary to 

 transplant them again the next spring giving more rooni 

 and they soon will be strong enough to show a few 

 buds — we have buds on three-year-old plants. A little 

 covering with leaves every winter is necessary to keep 

 a too heavy frost out of the ground, and if they are 

 planted in tlie open, shade has to be given. 



As said before, we are in need of hardy American- 

 raised rhododendrons and everybody having the time 

 and the necessary, ought to help make a step ahead in 

 the improvement of those beautiful ornaments of our 

 gardens. 



.^J(^^ ^.^^>^^^^^>^ 



The Question of Hardiness 



IJhododenilroiis lia\e gduc liiiDiigh ;■ scries of severe 

 winters. These have tried the mettle of tlie l)est and 

 the oldest of thcin. The size and tlie age of many of 

 our large-t plants ought to be a guarantee of their 

 hardiness. Tln'V could not luivc lived anil thrived, as 

 many of them have done tor thirty years, and not be 

 considered ironclad. Some of these have been injured, 

 and never more than diii-iug the past winter. 



From our experience, we still believe a northern ex- 

 posure best. By this we do not mean they should be en- 

 tirely sluit I lilt from sunshine. — although we have some 

 remarkable plants, that are almost entirely so. Their 

 foliage is extremely handsome, and in this respect alone, 

 rhododendrons are remarkal)ly effective. Still most 

 people want them to lilonm.'aud this they do not do 

 nearlv sn \m'I1 as in suu^liiuc I'mlci' such ciniditious. 



however, though not so prolific in bloom, the flowers 

 are larger, and last longer. 



On the matter of exposure, we would conclude tliat it 

 IS most essential that the plants should have some sort 

 of a screen from the midday sun. To illustrate what is 

 meant : We had to move two plants in the way of im- 

 |ii-ovements. and protected them specially, with a screen 

 oT s|)riice lioiighs. If this had not been done, they cer- 

 tainly would have been sunburned. It was done, in this 

 case because root action was disturbed late in the season. 

 Still it is a case in point. It is the winters sun that 

 does most injury, and especially during the montli of 

 March. So-called sheltered places, where sun heat has 

 a chance to gather, suffer most. The damage comes 

 from the alternate freezing and thawing of the buds and 

 idliagc. In iiKirc exposed places, and in full sunshine 



