July 29, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUKB AND COTTAGE GAKDENEE. 



77 



As I only intend to explain the main points in the cultivation 

 of the KhoUodendion, it is not necessary to enter into details re- 

 specting the many varieties now grown. Persons who are doubt- 

 ful of the Boil or situation suiting them, had better begin with 

 the common kinds lirst, lind the very commonest, 11. ponticum, 

 ifi not without its merits. I question much if any of the others 

 is so generally serviceable. In habit the plant is exoellecl by 

 none of them ; its foliage is good, it aemaius as long in flower 

 as any, and is said to thrive where others do not. Of the latter 

 property I have some misgivings, as many of the hybrids 

 thrive as well as ponticum in a soil said to be unfavourable. 

 It certainly is the haidiest, and it reproduces itself from seed 

 with greater facility than most others. Old plants surrounded 

 by weeds as high as themselves, scatter their seeds, and then 

 become plants amongst the rubbish, and with more certainty 

 than if the seed had been deposited in a prepared bed in the 

 kitchen garden. Kbododendroa ponticum also varies in colour, 

 and a mass of it in flower is, perhaps, shown to best advantage 

 when it is surrounded by t,ill grass just fit to cut for hay ; 

 the rich tints of the Bhododendron slightly overtopping the 

 various grasses just ready for the scythe, give an air of 

 vigorous health, which the closely-shaven lawn fails to do. 

 More choice varieties may, perhaps, deserve a better-kept 

 position, but those who have witnessed it in the rougher one, 

 ■will, I think, say I am right. It would not be well to allow 

 long grass to usurp too much of the ground occupied by these 

 plants, but to keep their collar free from weeds or rubbish of 

 all kinds. 



In forming a oollectiou of the best varieties of hybrid Eho- 

 dodendrons, it often happens that too great a proportion of 

 those selected are of the rosy scarlet section, of which Mrs. 

 John Waterer may be said to be the type, while but few are 

 white. The latter colour is, in my opinion, the most valuable 

 in a Ehododendion ; for it contrasts best with the dark green 

 foliage, and in the majority of cases where this shrub is grown, 

 the eye of the beholder rests on a mass of foliage as a back- 

 ground, against which white flowers stand out in relief; in 

 fact, white flowers, as a whole, are never too numerous. Who- 

 ever yet found fault with a white Camellia? and the sooner we 

 can have a Bhododendron to match it the better, adding at the 

 same time the strong waxy substance of corolla that some of 

 the Himalayan species possess. The latter ought to be more 

 extensively tried in favoured situations, as they have not yet 

 been sufficiently hybridised with better-known kinds, in order 

 to transmit their desirable properties to their offspring. It is 

 only in favourable situations, however, that it would be ad- 

 visable to try many of these distinct species. 



The better-known Ebododendrons are likely to succeed in a 

 soil and situation falling short of what may be called first- 

 class ; but most ot the varieties generally called " hybrids," 

 including the bulk of the named kinds, may be grown in soil 

 such as I have described, and, as a class, they afford, perhaps, 

 as great a display of floral beauty as anything in the gardening 

 world, not even excepting the gorgeous Indian Azalea and the 

 bedding Pelargonium, while as evergreen shrubs they are ex- 

 ceeded by few in poiut of long-continued beauty. E. ponticum, 

 at least, may be said to be oue of the hardiest plants we have in 

 its capacity of enduring our winters, and most of the hybrids 

 are equally so. I hope, therefore, where opportunity offers, 

 that the cultivation of this plant will be extended, and that 

 groups of it will be planted in woods and other places from 

 which cattle are excluded. For lining the sides of drives, or 

 roads through similar places, no plant can be more appropriate, 

 for where the soil is suitable, and it has had a fair start, it 

 generally maintains itself against most ordinary vegetation. 

 Wastes devoted to the rearing of game might also have a few 

 specimens of this plant, not scattered singly, but arranged in 

 groaps ; and if they were looked after for a year or two at start- 

 ing, they would take care of themselves afterwards. It is in 

 Buch wastes that it thrives best ; a trial of it is there well 

 worth making. The sites for this plant are so many, that there 

 axe few persons having the means, who might not find a situa- 

 tion in which to try it and have the pleasure of unexpectedly 

 meeting with a dump of this plant, say at the end of May, 

 nben it is in flower. 



Much more might be said in favour of this plant, and places 

 pointed out where it forms one of their most important attrac- 

 tions, witness the gaiety of certain portions of the London 

 parka when this plant is in bloom. In their case, however, I 

 expect the bod is prepared at considerable expense ; but there 

 are plenty of places where it would do better than it ever does 

 there, if a little attention were paid in starting it. In many 



places it is almost naturalised, the plant ripening its seeds and 

 disseminating them in all directions, youog pluuts springing 

 up by the thousand. Amongst those who had the good taste 

 to plant the Khododendrou extensively when it was fcarcer 

 than now, one of the former owners of Cubham Hall, of which 

 au account was given in the last volume of this journal, 

 deserves to be particularly mentioned. There a diy peaty 

 wood had baeu divided into compartments, and the side of thQ 

 walks or roads lined with this shrub, probably nearly a 

 century ago. The soil and situation suiting tbem, the Ehodo- 

 dendrons have reproduced themselves in such numbers, ,a8 

 completely to occupy the whole space, the roads only being 

 kept clear, and a mass of fifty or one hundred acres presents a 

 display of beauty in the season which few places can boast of, 

 As the plant is now at least a hundredfold moro plentiful than 

 it was a century ago, those desirous of presenting futurity vsiXh, 

 a similar sight, can accomplish the object at much less cost. 

 I hope, therefore, to see many waste places ornamented with 

 groups of this plant, which, besides its, beauty, is valuable as- 

 affording shelter. — John Kor.sos. 



JUDGING CUCUMBEllS. 

 We have been applied to by several corresponoents for some- 

 rules applicable to deciding the comparative merits of Cucum- 

 bers exhibited to compete for prizes. We are not surprised ."kt 

 such applications, because there is often pre&t and just dis- 

 satisfaction when a huge brace, thicker than a man's wrist, 

 20 or 2i inches long, yet yellowish st the ends, and so flexible 

 from keeping that if held in the middle the ends would bend 

 down far towards meeting, are passed over for a neat perfectly- 

 fresh brace, green throughout, not much above u foot in lengtl* 

 nor more than 1* inch in diameter. To the latter we shonlcl 

 award the prize, for they would be far superior in crispness and 

 sweetness. To meet the wishes of our correspondents we re- 

 print from a former volume of our Journal the following : — 



1. The first essential is that the brace of Cucumbers be 

 young, fresh, and green. 



2. Both the Cucumbers forming t]:e brace should be straight, 

 and the one a counterpart of the other in thickness and length. 



3. Though young and crisp, the fruit should be sufficiently 

 grown to be free of anything like deep sutures along tbe sides, 

 as these involve as much loss in preparing for table as deep- 

 eyed Potatoes. 



4. The shorter the shoulder of the Cucumber and the mora 

 distinct it is the better — that is, no blending of the shoulder 

 with the general length of the Cucumber, but that general' 

 length or gun-barrel part should start with an abrupt round- 

 ness at once from the shoulder, and proceed with the same- 

 diameter until it ends as abruptly at the point. 



5. It is well that the point should be quite green, and if the 

 blossom be attached to it all the better. If the bloom on the 

 Cucumbers is fresh from end to end an extra point will be 

 gained. 



6. As respects proportion, nine diameters used to be con- 

 sidered a good proportional length; and hence a well-grown 

 symmetrical brace, 9 inches in lencth and 1 inch in dinmeter, 

 will have many admirers. We would prefer for longer Cucum- 

 bers that the diameter should be a little less proportionally — 

 that is, a little less than 2 inches for IS inches in length. 



7. Wo have kept length to the last, but it will ever form a 

 favourable item in judging, when united with freshness and 

 symmetry. Shorter fruit will win, if shown against long, only 

 when more fresh, more symmetrical, covered with richer 

 bloom, &c. 



STONE BLOCKS FOR ORCHIDS. 



I AM not aware that the acknowledged authorities en thifi 

 beautiful family of plants, who have favoured us with a revela- 

 tion of the secrets of their art in tbe successful culture of the 

 various species of Orchids, have ever spoken of stone as suitable 

 material on which to place those which are generally recom- 

 mended to be placed on blocks of wood. Neither have I any 

 recollection of ever having seen epiphytes with a stone to feed 

 upon. This material may, however, be used beyond tbe range 

 of my observation. Be this as it may, my present object is not 

 to recommend stone blocks as the best sort that can bo used, 

 nor to say that I have, from any lengthened experience, fuund 

 any advantage in using stone instead of wooden blocks, but 

 simply to state that about a month ago I had to look about for a 

 few suitable blocks for Orchids, and could not conveniently finil 



