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THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



rosy lilac, spotted with yellow, fringed ; F. L. Ames, 

 bright rose ; Guido, deep crimson ; H. W. Sargent, 

 crimson, latest of the dark varieties; James Bateman, 

 rosy scarlet; Kettledrum, purplish crimson, very late; 

 King of Purples, dark purple, fine ; Lady Armstrong, 

 pale rose, beautiful ; Lady Grey Egerton, silvery blush, 

 extra fine; Mrs. Chas. S. Sargent, pink with yellow 

 blotches, fringed; Mrs. H. Ingersoll, rosy lilac; Mrs. 

 Milner, crimson ; Purpureum Elegans, purple ; and 

 Roseum Elegans, deep rosy purple, rich, free. While 

 all these varieties are what is often termed "iron clad," 

 still, proper attention must be given to their require- 

 ments and they must have the most favorable posi- 

 tions. 



Spring is the best time for planting. At planting time, 

 if the root balls are dry they should be soaked in water 

 until well saturated. In planting, the top of the root ball 

 should be level with the trodden surface of the ground, 

 and the soil thoroughly firmed by heading, and worked 

 into every crevice. Water thoroughly after planting, 

 and mulch with leaves or litter to the depth of about one 

 toot ; mulching protects the feeding roots and keeps them 

 moist until the plant is well established. 



Many people wonder why their Rhododendrons bloom 

 unevenly one year and well the next, and so on. This 

 is generally because, after it has bloomed, the seed ves- 

 sels are allowed to remain on a plant, hindering the free 

 formation of the buds. It is well to remove the seed 

 vessels immediately after flowering, and this is easilv 

 done by the thumb and forefinger. — Field. 



RHODODENDRON CAT.^WBIENSE. 



Important Facts Regarding Fertilizer Benefits 



By Franklin Noble. 



The fertilizer question has not yet received from 

 gardeners and florists in general the consideration it 

 deserves ; that success with plants is often obtained is 

 due mainly to skillful cultivation rather than to scien- 

 tifically providing plant food. 



Should this latter be done up to the high standard 

 frequent in cultivation, the favorable plant develop- 

 ment obtained thereby would astonish most growers. 



To learn what is the right thing to do in fertilization 

 for particular conditions of soil and i)lant species, 

 would mean customarily obtaining the top-notch of 

 growths, blooms and c|uality in flowers and vegetables 

 now obtained exceptionally only, and doing it more 

 readily, quicker and with less cost, against disease, 

 insects or other adverse conditions. 



To begin with, soil chemistry is so complex that it 

 is not yet well understood, and this afifects results 

 obtainable with fertilizers, the advantages and dis- 

 advantages of which both for natural and manufac- 

 tured forms arc nnt fully knuwn, though the scientific 

 specialists have learned iiasic principle reasons and 

 cxjilanations applicable to general conditions. 



That gardeners and florists generally jirefcr man- 

 ures to the use of manufactured fertilizers is because 

 of poor results obtained with the latter, without learn- 

 ing the reason why, or that defects could be remedied. 

 .\nd that a properly prepared fertilizer under suitable 

 conditions can produce more (|uickly and a,t possible 

 less cost decidedly better ]ilanl (levelo]iment than can 

 i)e done with manure. Or that manure can be sup^ 

 ])lemented to greatly increase its crop producing ef- 

 ficiency. 



What manure is has become generally known by 

 experience in using it. though due allowance is often 

 not given for its variations in quality. But commercial 



fertilizers are too often not what they are stated to 

 be and positively not what they are thought or ought 

 to be. The percentages present of nitrogen, phosphoric 

 acid and potash is sometimes less than stated and fre- 

 quently not proportioned suitabl}', but what is of great 

 im]5ortance, the form these elements are in, is generally 

 ignored. 



With due allowance for variations in soil conditions 

 as to their physical, chemical and bacterial character, 

 which inlluences fertilization, so that good authorities 

 always recommend experimentation rather than defi- 

 nite rules in complete detail as to what shall be done ; 

 yet the following may be stated as facts on basic prin- 

 ciijles. c|uoted as such by recognized authorities, there- 

 fore of utmost importance to and deserving of being 

 tested out when the highest type of plant development 

 is wanted : 



A deficiency in the quota of any one of the respec- 

 ti\e elements required for that particular kind of plant 

 will impair its development. The four elements, ni- 

 trogen, phosphoric acid, potash and lime are the pre- 



. dominant ones most likely to be lacking in the soil and 

 therefore must be supplied in sufficient quantity and 

 suitable form. Of these, nitrogen is the only one likely 

 to he provided in excess (out of proportion) to pro- 

 duce disadvantageous growths, barring a few excep- 

 tions, mostly of unimportant plants as to lime. Ni- 

 trogen furnisltes the growing influence and is therefore 

 the most important requirement, jiarticnlarly in the 

 early life of plants: it is also the most costly, and the 

 one with the use of which mistakes are most frequently 



' made. The main supply of this for the plant must 

 always be as a nitrate in solution to be absorbed by 

 the roots, the furnishing of a supply in other forms 

 means delav for one, if not two chemical conversions; 



