December 11, 1308. 



HORTICUL T U R E 



815 



Notes From the Arnold Arboretum 



Among tlie new broad-leaved evergreens from West- 

 ern China by far the most important in number as well 

 as in horticultural importance are the Ehododendrons. 

 Of the more than one hundred species now known from 

 China, more than sixty have been described during the 

 last fifteen years from Western China alone, a number 

 which hardly anyone would have thought possible be- 

 fore the botanical exploration of that country was 

 begun. Almost all of them belong to the true Rhododen- 

 drons, while of the Azalea section no new species has 

 been introduced. Some of the more noteworthy are the 

 following of which at least several can be expected to 

 prove hardy at the Arboretum, as they have been col- 

 lected at high altitudes, in some cases at elevations of 

 ten thousand feet or more. 



Rhododendron Augusiinii is a shrub reaching ten 

 feet in height with oblong-lanceolate acute or acumi- 

 nate leaves, from three to four inches long and glabrous 

 except hairs on the midrib of the under surface which 

 is sprinkled besides with brown dots. The flowers ap- 

 pear in few-flowered clusters and measure about one and 

 three-quarters of an inch in diameter ; in color they vary 

 from white to pale purple. 



A very handsome species is Rhododendron auricu- 

 latum with big leaves and the largest flowers of all. The 

 oblong leaves are cordate at the base, from seven to nine 

 inches long, whitish on the under surface and thinly 

 covered with a dun-colored tomentum disappearing with 

 age. The funnelform flowers are four inches long and 

 measure over four inches in diameter; they vary from 

 white to pink and are marked with a maroon blotch. 



Rhododendron Benthamianum is a shrub with oblong 

 leaves only one to two inches long, rounded at the base 

 and furnished on the under surface with yellow and 

 brown scales. The purple flowers measure little over 

 one inch in diameter and appear usually in clusters of 

 three. It is allied to R. yunnanense, another species 

 of recent introduction, and begins to flower when only 

 one foot high. 



Rhododendron calophytum grows into a tree forty 

 feet high. The lanceolate leaves are from nine to twelve 

 inches long and whitish and glabrous on the under sur- 

 face. The flowers vary from white to purple, measure 

 two inches in diameter and are produced in large many- 

 flowered clusters. 



Rhododendron Davidii is also a tree up to thirty feet 

 high. The oblong obtuse leaves narrowed at the 

 base are from two to three inches long and glabrous and 

 pale on the under surface. The rose-colored flowers 

 measure about two inches in diameter and appear in 

 clusters of six to ten. 



_ Rhododendron maculiferum is a shrub with oval 

 leaves cordate at the base, about two inches lon^ and 

 glabrous and pale on the under surface. The flowers 

 are pale purple and marked with dark spots, measure 

 about one and a half inch in diameter and appear in 

 clusters of five to ten. 



Rhododendron orbiculare is a shrub with very striking 

 foliage calling to mind that of the Yellow Pond-lily. 

 The leaves are broadly or nearly roundish, deeply cor- 

 date at the base, from three to five inches long and glab- 

 rous and whitish on the under surface. The rose-col- 

 ored flowers are campanulate, two and a half inch in 

 diameter and are produced in clusters of eight or ten. 



Rhododendron Souliei much resembles the preceding, 

 but the leaves are smaller and narrower, only about two 

 to three inches long and but slightly cordate at the base. 



Rhododendron sutchuense is a shrub with lanceolate 

 leaves from five to seven inches long and glabrous and 

 whitish on the under surface. The pale purple broadly 

 campanulate flowers measure nearly three and a half 

 inches in diameter and are produced in clusters of five to 

 six. 



Of a type very different from the preceding species 

 are Rhododendron intricatum and R. micranihum. The 

 former is a low densely branched shrub, from one to 

 three feet in height with oval leaves only one-third of an 

 inch long, silvery white or later brownish on the under 

 surface. The lilac flowers measure little more than 

 three-quarters of an inch across and appear usually in 

 clusters of five. Rhododendron micranthum is a shrub 

 up to eight feet high resembling in foliage and flowers 

 a Ledum. The lanceolate leaves are from one to two 

 inches long and covered beneath with brown scales. The 

 white flowers appear in dense many-flowered clusters 

 and measure only one-third of an inch in diameter 



Trans-Atlantic Notes 



SOME OPINIONS ABOUT NEW ROSES 



It is of much value to rose cultivators to observe that 

 which foreigners write or speak of new varieties. The 

 well known rosarian Herman Kiese wrote in an Erfurt 

 gardening journal too slightingly of the Lyon rose and 

 the illustration, which does not approach anything like 

 a good bloom of that variety. The flower is as beauti- 

 fully formed as Kaiserin or Belle Siebrecht, and of a 

 charming red-gold color which does not become paler in 

 rainy weather. The variety is a capital autumn bloom- 

 er, a strong grower, and when grown in a frame the color 

 is improved. It is said that it will become one of the 

 most desirable roses of the future for cutting purposes, 

 and inquiries concerning this variety are very numerous. 



