Jnnc 4, 1868. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTIOOLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



409 



Calceolaria, and Hnmea ; but there are some to which soft-soap 

 Bolutions can be used without injury, as the Peach, when the 

 Iruit ia bihuH, the Myrtle, Camallia, ' and most plants with 

 smooth leaves. — G. Adisev. 



(To bo continuoil.) 



RHODODENDRONS AND THKIll CULTURE. 

 As this is the time for the lovers of Hhododendrons to bo 

 on the alort, a few remarks on the subject may be upeful. 



Rhododendrons may be cultivated in a variety of ways, and 

 may with care bo made objects of the highest interest for 

 decorative purposes both in and out of doors. They are 

 moisture-lovinp; plants, but the water must not stagnate about 

 their roots. They almost adapt themselves to any climate if 

 they are properly cared for, succeeding either in beds or as 

 single specimens. They should have proper drainage afforded 

 them, and with that view the place intended for them should 

 have the soil taken out to the depth of 1 feet, and a foot deep 

 of drainage placed at the bottom. Cover the drainage with 

 htter to prevent it from becoming choked, and lill up with the 

 compost, raising it above the surface to allow for settling. 

 Good peat, if it can be obtained, mixed with fibrous loam will 

 answer for them ; but in many places peat cannot be had, there- 

 fore other soils have to bo used. I have found llhododendrons 

 succeed well in the following compost — viz., bog earth, leaf 

 mould, and mellow loam in equal parts with a liberal sprinkling 

 of sand. A little well-decomposed cow dung will be of service. 

 If the Rhododendrons are planted in beds, I prefer these to 

 be rather below than above the surface, for should the season 

 be dry a sort of bason is thus formed to water in, and room is 

 afforded for top-dressing or mulching if such bo required. 

 Some people raise mounds or banks for them ; but I think that 

 plan is objectionable if it can possibly be avoided, for in dry 

 weather I have known them suffer very much from drought, 

 and in time die altogether. If they are planted on the sides 

 of banks we must leave them to take their chance. 



1 know of some instances in which Rhododendrons have 

 succeeded in pure loam without any preparation. In some 

 counties, Radnor for instance, Hereford, and other places, I 

 have seen line specimens of Rhododendrons growing without 

 any preparation of the soil ) ravious to planting, and in York- 

 shire too, if I recollect aright, many years ago I saw growing in 

 Dr. Herbert's garden at Spofforth, Yorkshire, Rhododendrons 

 planted in loam, the substratum being granite rock, and at 

 that time they appeared in good health. Those who may have 

 seen the Rhododendrons at Stourbead and other places where 

 they are grown extensively, cannot but admire their diversity 

 of colour and the proportion of their growth. Such sights are 

 well worth a day's journey to see, and would be more so could 

 some of the more brilliant-coloured varieties now to be met 

 with be worked on the already-established plants. 



My idea of a bank of Rhododendrons is thi-! : — I would have 

 the plants prepared for the purpose, tall ones for the back, and 

 others of lower growth for the front, thus forming the bank 

 with the plants instead of heaping up the soil, which ia often 

 done to the injury of the plants. 



I trust ere long to see Rhododendrons much more exten- 

 sively cultivated than they are at present. I know of no ever- 

 geen flowering shrub that presents such a diversity of colours, 

 nor any that has been so much improved in the present gene- 

 lation as the Rhododendron. Nothing can surpass at this 

 season a good selection of the beautiful varieties, exhibiting 

 nearly all shades of colour, from the purest white to the deepest 

 maroon. 



Rhododendrons are mostly well adapted to pot culture for 

 in-door decoration, and will bear forcing well in gentle heat, but 

 it ia not wise to force the same individual plants successively 

 if it can be possibly avoided, for if this be practised they soon 

 become exhausted. Planted out in a conservatory they afford 

 a magnificent display while in bloom, and if grown in boxes or 

 pots for the same purpose, they can be removed at pleasure 

 when their beauty is over to make room for other occupants. 



Thp following are a few species and varieties of this noble 

 race that answer well for pot culture — viz., Ciliatum, a splen- 

 did white, sometimes tinged with rose, and which when gently 

 forced (and it bears forcing well), is one of the very best ; Glo- 

 riosnm, a beautiful blush in early spring; Gibsoni, another 

 favourite as a pot plant ; Venus, of a fine blush when opening, 

 changing to white, very fine ; Jasminiflorum, which requires 

 time to make a specimen, but will repay any amount of care 



when in bloom ; Dalhousire, one of the largest white kinds in 

 cultivation, best kept from frost ; Nivaticum, white spotted 

 with yellow, very good ; Glaucum, very dwarf in habit, of a 

 ])loaBing light rose colour, the leaves having a white appear- 

 ance on the under side, a line sort for pot culture ; Dauricum, 

 nearly purple, a splendid plant when in bloom, but of rather 

 bad habit, and requiring time, patience, and care to become 

 a specimen, but which when such is once formed will repay 

 any amount of care with its beautiful blooms iu-doorsin winter; 

 Grand Arab, a most beautiful crimson, which ought to be in 

 every collection ; lago, very dark and good, crimson purple ; 

 Black Blotch, one of the very best ; Everestianum, pale blush, 

 beautifully fringed, very fine ; Fulgeus, bright scarlet, having 

 very compact trusses ; Victoria, crimson pur))le, a beautiful 

 variety ; and Onslowianum, a pretty blush, fine yellow eye, 

 very beautiful. I must not omit the Countess of Haddington, 

 with beautiful blushes on her lovely cheeks, the flowers some 

 ;i inches in length, and nearly as much in diameter, and the 

 plant of first-rate habit. There are many more too numerous 

 to mention, for all Rhododendrons make fine pot plants, and 

 will repay any amount of care bestowed upon them. 



The following are a few among this numerous race that I have 

 noticed do well with ordinary cultivation in beds, or as single 

 specimens, and are now in bloom. Fastuosum flore-pleno, an 

 excellent sort ; Coriaceum, a beautiful white ; Everestianum ; 

 Mrs. John Waterer, one of the brightest-coloured varieties we 

 have ; Blatteum, fine, large, purple ; Onslowianum, blush 

 tinged with yellow; and Nivaticum, fine white with yellow 

 spots. Dauricum will almost grow anywhere, and is the 

 earliest of all out door Rhododendrons, sometimes flowering in 

 midwinter and early in spring. It should be planted in a 

 sheltered place, and have protection from frost and wet while 

 in bloom, then it lasts in beauty a long time. Other kinds 

 well worthy of cultivation are — Mrs. Loudon, very fine ; Erec- 

 tum, a fine trusser ; Grand Arab, one of the most showy kinds 

 we have; Mrs. Snowdon, a good useful kind; Barclayanum, 

 very beautiful ; Sir Charles Napier, Nigricans, Sir Isaac 

 Newton, Reedianum, Archimedes, Rosea elegans, Blandyanum, 

 Arboreum, Maximum, Robustum, William Downing, Diadem, 

 Gloriosum, Chancellor, lago, and Caucasicum is a fine white 

 of dwarf habit. Vandyke, though a late bloomer, is one of the 

 finest Rhododendrons in cultivation. When the colours are 

 nicely blended nothing can surpass a moderate collection of 

 these beautiful plants at this season.— M. H., Acldam Hall, 

 Middlcshrough-on-Tccs. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCrrEN GARDEN. 



Asparagus, except for some particular occasion Asparagus 

 should not be cut after this time in private gardens. Broccoli, 

 plant out once a-fortnight to supply young heads in the 

 autumn, and see that the seed beds do not become too much 

 crowded. Cahbagc, plant out a few young Cabbage plants abou} 

 once a-fortnight to keep up a supply of young heads in tha 

 autumn ; also do not allow the seed beds to become crowded, 

 as will soon be the case in moist weather. Cmdijlou-ers, a few 

 young plants from the spring-sown beds had better also be 

 transplanted at short intervals rather than a large breadth at 

 a time. If those now coming into use are likely to be more 

 abundant than is required for the daily consumption, some of 

 them should be checked to keep them back, if only by pushing 

 in the spade on one side to cut half their roots. Celery, a 

 short row of this may be put out and well watered to carry OB 

 the early succession, and the young plants for the main crops 

 will require a regular supply of water if the rain do not find its 

 way to their roots. Suecesxiun crojjs of Lettuces, Kidney Beans, 

 Peas, &c., sow these according to the state of the last sowings, 

 and see that the hoe is always in motion among crops in rows, 

 whether there are weeds or not. There is one kind of work 

 which is rarely thought of in summer — namely, trenching 

 vacant pieces of ground as they fall in, but no method of im- 

 proving heavy soil is equal to trenching it when perfectly dry 

 in summer. 



FSDIT GAItDEN. 



I suppose the Tomatoes planted out against the walls must 

 be dignified with the notice of a fruit, if only to tay that, Uke 

 the ridged Cucumbers, they are often allowed to become too 

 much crowded at the starting-off. The first high wind will 

 then shake them about in all directions, two-thirds of their 

 shoots must be cut off to make room for the rest, and this 

 check throws them back ten days more ; after such management! 



