December 6, L919 



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RHODODENDRONS FROM SEED. 



Whether the plant embargo is just 

 or not, the American nurserymen 

 should do their best to develop ma- 

 terial at hand. I have In mind particu- 

 larly a class of plants which have been 

 neglected in this country. I refer to 

 Rhododendrons and their allies. When 

 we say Rhododendrons we do not re- 

 fer merely to the evergreen kinds rep- 

 resented mostly by hybrids imported 

 from Europe. We refer also to the de- 

 ciduous kinds which are generally in 

 nurserymen's catalogues as Azaleas; 

 and these include besides several 

 species of American and Asiatic origin 

 also the Ghent and Mollis hybrids. 



The best known of the American de- 

 ciduous species are R. (A) Vaseyi, R. 

 Calendulacea, R. Arborescens. R. nudi- 

 florum, R. canescens and R. viscosum, 

 all of which are well worth growing; 

 and of late years we have added an 

 evergreen species of much beauty, R. 

 carolinlanum. 



Besides these we have the Manchu- 

 rlan R. mucronulatum, a handsome 

 bright pink early blooming species. R. 

 Schllppenbackii, a showy light pink 

 flowering kind, will soon be available 

 in quantity. R. japonicum, a species 

 which has entered into the make up 

 of the "Mollis" hybrids, is handsomer 

 than any of the hybrids. Also R. 

 Kaempferi; this is becoming well 

 known. The flowers are orange red to 

 pink in color and a mass of them In 

 bloom Is strikingly beautiful. 



One of the reasons why nurserymen 

 have not gone into raising Rhododen- 

 drons from seeds, I think, is that they 

 have been considered difficult to raise. 

 Given proper conditions, they are as 

 easy to raise as Petunias, and I would 

 much rather be set to raising them 

 than Begonias and Gloxinias and such 

 like greenhouse plants. Indeed of 

 late, we have been raising all small 

 seeds in the same way we do Rhodo- 

 dendrons. We commence about the 

 middle of February, using flats about 

 one foot square. We figure to have so 

 many flats take in the width of our 

 greenhouse bench. Peaty soil is best, 

 but half and half sifted loam and leaf 

 soil is very good, so long as It is free 

 from lime. The important thing Is to 

 furnish a proper germinating medium. 

 After the flats are filled and pressed 

 they are surfaced with a layer of 

 sifted sphagnum. This is obtained by 

 drying sphagnum and rubbing It 

 through a fine meshed sieve. The flats 

 are wet down with a fine spray and the 

 seeds sown on the surface. They are 

 placed In an intermediate house. 55 

 degrees nights, and kept sprinkled 

 daily. The seeds, most of them, will 

 be up in a month and be ready to 

 prick off in another When pricked off 



HOLIDAY 



Holly, XXX Quality 

 Mistletoe 



Prince's Pine 



Laurel Wreathing 



DECORATIONS 



Holly Wreaths 

 Cut Boxwood 



Japanese Roping 

 Immortelles 



RAFFIA — Fresh shipment just arrived 



Write for Special Christmas Circular 



SPRING BULBS — Gladiolus, Tuberoses, Caladiums. Ask 



for prices 



Chicago VAUGHAN'S SEED STORE New York 



THIS SEASON'S NEW ROSES 



PILGRIM CRUSADER PREMIER RUSSELL HADLEY 



We are receiving dally shipments of these new Roses, In large quantities, and 

 can furnish same on short notice. 



We have a large stock at all times of choice CARNATIONS, CHRYSANTHE- 

 MUMS, ORCHIDS, VALLEY and AMERICAN BEAUTIES. 



Tel., Main 6267 H/CT /""H RPHQ fO 26 2 DEVONSHIRE STREET 

 5948 « CL«V/I1. DRUO. KsVJ. BOSTON, MASS. 



lUollratl) & 0ou0 



Plant Specialists 



POINSETTIA, single and made up pans. 



unsurpassed 



CYCLAMEN — BEGONIAS 



Quality 



Christmas Stock of all Kind* in fancy Grades 

 Come and Inspect Oaf Stock. Never in Better Condition 



139 Beaver Street 



WALTHAM, MASS. 



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they are returned to the same house, 

 where they stay until placed outdoors 

 to harden in September. Shading will 

 be necessary about the middle of 

 March. T. D. H. 



A BOOK ON LIME. 



Of late years constantly increasing 

 interest in the use of lime has been 

 shown among horticulturists of all 

 rorts, due to an increased realization 

 of the value of lime as an aid to pro- 

 ductivity. At the same time lime has 

 not always been used with an intelli- 

 gent appreciation of its nature or ac- 

 tion on the soil, perhaps because 

 literature, except that issued by com- 

 mercial concerns, has not been readily 

 obtained. The little volume just put 

 out by Alvah Atgee, Secretary of the 

 New Jersey State Department of Agri- 

 culture, is of particular interest. It is 

 called "The Right Use of Lime in Soil 

 Improvement" and goes exhaustively 

 into the subject. The book is one 

 which should prove of no little prac- 

 tical help to everyone who makes his 

 living from the soil. A number of 

 good illustrations add to its value. 



"The Right Use of Lime" by Alvah 

 Atgee, published by Orange .Tudd Co.. 

 New York, price $1.25. 



National Nurseryman 



The oldest and beat established 

 Journal for nurserymen. Circula- 

 tion among the trade onlj. Pub- 

 lished miiiithlT. riulioerlptloo pries 

 $1.50 per year. Foreign subscrip- 

 tions, 93.00 per year, la adiantat. 

 Sample cop; free upon application, 

 from those In the trade enclosing 

 their business card. 



National Nurseryman Pub. Co.,]* 



HATBOKO. PA. 



DESTROYED BY HAIL 



Lasl Summer a florist who had Imagined 

 be was outside of the hall section lost 

 upwards of 50,000 square feet of glass 

 by hall with no Insurance to recom- 

 pense him. 



He Is now a member of the Florists' 

 Hall Association of America. 

 Profit by experience and join the Asso- 

 ciatioi now. Address 



JOHN O. KSI.KR. Secretary 

 Saddle River New Jersey 



When writing to advertisers kindly 

 mention HORTICULTURE 



