IRISH GARDENING. 



83 



of the top of the ovary rather than caused by 

 any green pigment on the petals. The leaves 

 are long and smooth, somewhat glaucous un- 

 derneath, and the young growth throws out 

 bright red bracts which, being very conspicuous, 

 add colour to the plant when the bloom fades 

 ;i\\ay. It is a magnificent species, and may, 



many advantages of its own. The leaves are 

 bright green, and much wrinkled above, and 

 on the underside they are covered with a soft 

 yellow felt, which also clothes the ends of the 

 branchlets. The trusses expand into two or 

 three large white flowers some 4 inches across, 

 of a wonderfull}' beautiful form and texture, 



Rhododexdrox Falconeri at Old Conxa Hill, Bray, 



without exaggeration, be called the Queen of 

 the Ehododendrons. 



Competing closely with it as one of nature's 

 choicest productions is R. Edgeworthii, which 

 comes from the same parts of the Himalayan 

 region. It also is unfortunately none too hardy, 

 except in favoured localities, but as it does not 

 start into growth so early as its rival it is more 

 easily established. It has less spread and 

 more of an upright liabit than R. Clriffithianum ; 

 perhaps its growth is not so graceful, and it 

 will hardly form the same large and striking 

 mass of svmmetrv and colour. But it has 



very slightly touched with pink, which exhale 

 a strong and exquisite perfume. It is a real 

 gem that deserves all the care and attention 

 that can be bestowed upon it. Many hybrids 

 have been raised from it, none of them perhaps 

 as good as the type, but some of them are 

 hardy; their flower is equally large, though 

 scarcely of the same delicate appearance, and 

 most of them retain, in a varying degree, the 

 sc-nt that characterises the parent. 



Of Himalayan Rhododendrons blooming be- 

 fore May R. niveum, R. Thomson!, and R. 

 barbatum'may be mentioned. The first of 



