220 



JOURNAL OP HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAUDENEE. 



[ March 13, 1873. 



witli further names, as there are several good Eoses coming 

 on that only want another season's trial for us to be able to 

 recommend them. In your position none but the healthier and 

 stronger-growing Eoses will succeed ; they ought to be on the 

 Manetti stock and planted deep, so as to peg well.] 



CHOICE GEEENHOUSE EHODODENDEONS. 



No. 3. 



E. FULGENS. — This seldom exceeds 3 or 4 feet, and is therefore 

 quite within the range of an ordinary greenhouse. It is a 

 compact-growing plant ; the leaves are somewhat small, ob- 

 tusely ovate, and dark green ; flowers numerous, bell-shaped, 

 and of a rich-glowing crimson. Native of the Eastern Hima- 

 layas, at an elevation of some 13,000 feet. .;ii'>H;» 



E. CAI.OPHVLLUM. — Another dwarf-growing species, seldom 

 exceeding 4 or 5 feet in height, and forming a much-branched 

 and handsome plant. Leaves medium-sized, obloug-lanceo- 

 late and acuminate in shape, coriaceous in texture, and shining 

 deep green in colour, which, however, is somewhat obscured 

 in the young leaves by a loose short tomentum. The blooms 

 are produced in lax corymbs, each flower upwards of 3 inches 

 in diameter, pure white, sometimes suffused with rosy lilac on 

 the outside, and always deliciously fragrant. It blooms dming 

 AprO and May. Native of Bhotan. 



H. TDBiFLORUM. — This is an elegant and most singular 

 species, attaining a height of 3 or 4 feet. The foliage is 

 medium-sized, somewhat lanceolate, about 3 inches long by 

 1 inch in breadth ; colour rich bronze, shaded with golden yellow 

 while young, but changing with age to deep green. Flowers 

 " tubular, resembling an jEschynauthus, and reddish purpfe 

 in colour." It blooms late in spring and early in summer. 

 Native of the high mountains of Java. 



E. Macn'abian.\. — This is a dwarf, dense, much-branched 

 plant of garden origin, the result of a cross between E. cUiatum 

 and E. Edgworthii. It is abundantly furnished with medium- 

 sized rich dark green leaves. The flowers are freely produced, 

 large, of good substance, very showy, and soft blush white. It 

 blooms during the spring months. 



E. EximuM. — In its natui'al habitats this species forms a 

 splendid tree, but as it condescends to produce its lovely 

 flowers when of a medium size, it will become a noble object 

 for the decoration of the conservatory. The leaves are v^ry 

 large, measuring from 12 to 15 or more inches in length ; they 

 are very blunt at the apex, and so broad as to appear almost 

 round, especially upon young plants ; they are coriaceous in 

 texture. When they are in a young state the upper surface is 

 covered with a loose tomentum, which falls off with age, 

 leaving it bright green above ; the under side is clothed with a 

 close Eoft chestnut brown tomentum. It seems to resemble 

 E. Falconeri very much, and the large white flowers are also 

 similar ; the flowers are upwards of 2 inches in diameter, and 

 borne in large loose corymbs of from twelve to eighteen. 

 Native of Sikkim Himalaya. 



K. Keysii. — A slender shrub, seldom exceeding 4 feet in 

 height ; it is tolerably compact in habit, and clothed with 

 narrow lanceolate dark green leaves. The clusters of flowers 

 are produced from the axils of the leaves ; they are long and 

 tubular, reddish scarlet in colour. It is a native of Bhotan, 

 and is often found in the snowy regions. 



E. WiGHTii. — This species when mature attains a height of 

 9 or 10 feet. The leaves are some 4 inches long, lanceolate in 

 shape, rich shining green on the upper side, lighter below, 

 sometimes ferruginous. Flowers large, campanulate, pale 

 yellow in colour, having in addition a blotch of chestnut 

 brown on the upper segments, and freckled with small rosy- 

 pink dots. It is slightly fragrant, and blooms about the 

 month of May. Native of Sikkim Himalaya. 



E. MOULMEiNENSE. — A species which requires the warm end 

 of the greenhouse. It is a compact shrub, furnished with 

 broadly lanceolate-acuminate leaves, which are smooth, cori- 

 aceous, dark green on the upper side, paler below. Flowers in 

 terminal umbels, pure white saving the upper lobes, which are 

 tinted pale yellow. It blooms during midwinter. Native of 

 the Gerai Mountains, Moulmein, at 5000 feet elevation. 



E. Kendkickii. — This is a rare plant, but well deserves the 

 attention of plant-growers both on account of its beauty and 

 hardy constitution. It attains a height of about G feet in its 

 native habitats, but blooms under cultivation in a young state. 

 In habit it is bushy and compact. Leaves verticillate, lanceo- 

 late in shape, with slightly undulated edges. The clusters of 

 bloom are terminal; tlje indindual flowers are large, and deep 



reddish crimson in colour. It blooms during April and May. 

 Native of Bhotan. 



E. AEEOEEUM. — TMs forms a noble tree for a large conser- 

 vatory, but although it flowers freely when of medium size, it 

 can only be recommended where ample space can be afforded 

 it. The leaves are lanceolate-acute, from 4 to G inches in 

 length, deep green on the upper side, silvery white beneath. 

 It is a remarkably showy species ; flowers large, rich bright 

 scarlet, dotted with black on the upper segments. It blooms 

 during February and March. Native of Nepaul. 



K. F0B3I0SUM. — An elegant much-branched shrub, densely 

 clothed with dark green lanceolate-acute leaves, which are 

 about l.J inch in length. The flowers are freely produced, and 

 are medium-sized, white tinged with reddish pink. It blooms 

 during the months of March and AprU, lasting a long time in 

 full beauty. This species is also known in gardens by the 

 name of E. Gibsoni. Native of Nepaul. 



E. Sesteria.num. — This is a most desirable hybrid of compact 

 growth. The flov?ers are large, pure white saving the upper 

 segments, which are spotted with yellow, and in addition deli- 

 ciously fragrant. It is a profuse bloomer, coming into flower 

 about the month of April. This variety is the result of a 

 cross between E. Edgworthii and E. formosum. 



E. LoBEii. — I have some little diffidence about introducing 

 this amongst my list of greenhouse species and varieties, as it 

 requires almost the heat of an intermediate house. If its 

 cultm-e be therefore attempted in the greenhouse, it must have 

 the snuggest corner, and be protected from cold draughts. It is 

 a dwarf, compact, free-blooming species, producing a dense 

 truss of flowers, each of which measures upwards of 3 inches 

 in diameter. They are tubular, with a spreading hmb, the 

 tube beiug curved and of an intense glowing crimson colour, 

 rendering it very attractive. It blooms during October. 

 Native of Borneo. 



E. Blandfokdi.eflokcii. — This species does not usually form 

 a handsome specimen, but its flowers are so distincT; and beau- 

 tiful that I feel that it must be included in this enumeration. 

 It grows along the ridges of the mountains in Sikkim and 

 Eastern Nepaul, frequently being found at elevations of from 

 10 to 12,000 feet, where its maximum height seems to be 

 about G or 8 feet. The leaves are about 2J inches long, lan- 

 ceolate-acute, and coriaceous in texture. Flowers about the 

 same length as the leaves, pendulous, and in the best varieties 

 rich red, iu others there is a considerable admixture of green. 

 It blooms during spring and early summer. 



E. CAMPANULATUM, — A bcautlf ul but Variable plant. It attains 

 a height of some 5 feet or more. The leaves are eUiptic-oblong, 

 deep green above, but clothed beneath with a dense white or 

 ferruginous tomentum. The flowers ai'e large, produced in 

 great profusion, and disposed in corymbose clusters, soft pink, 

 changing to white, and having the upper segments spotted 

 with purple. It blooms in AprU and May. Native of Nepaul. 

 E. cAMPANULATDM Wallichii. — lu general habit this plant 

 resembles the species. It differs, however, in the dense tomen- 

 tum of the leaves being entirely wanting, and also iu its 

 flowers being destitute of the purple spots which are so con- 

 spicuous upon the upper segments of the type. It is a very 

 handsome form, which blooms during May. 



E. Pkisce of Wales. — This is a hybrid of great beauty, 

 produced between E. retusum and E. javanicum. The colour 

 is rich bright orange, in this respect resembling E. javanicum, 

 whilst its long tubular blooms show its affinity to E. retusum. 

 It is a compact-habited shrub, clothed with glaucous leaves, 

 and blooming in great profusion during the spring months. 



With the above variety I shall close my enumeration, and I 

 trust these brief notes may have the effect desired, for amateurs 

 who discard or neglect the culture of greenhouse Ehododen- 

 drons are banishing some of the brightest gems of the floral 

 world from their houses. 



In addition to the kinds named there are some very hand- 

 some-flowered hybrids, which are now, however, rarely to be 

 met with. They were produced by a very intimate friend of the 

 wi'iter, and named by him E. aureum ; there is a considerable 

 number of varieties all extremely beautiful, then- flowers vary- 

 ing between yellow, buff, and orange ; they are the results of 

 crossbreeding between Azalea sinensis and a Ehododendron, 

 but with what species of the latter genus we are left totally in 

 the dark, my friend having carried the secret to the grave with 

 him. This is much to be regretted, as the particular strain 

 was a break in quite a new direction, and would have doubt- 

 less led to the origin of a fine class of flowers for green- 

 house or conservatory decoration, and, singular to relate, no 



