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JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTURE AND COTtAGE GAKDENEB. 



[ February 21, 1873. 



old woods and plantations — and they have grown as freely as 

 any other shruua or trees, and much more freely than most, 

 for rabbits mu-t be hungry indeed before they will eat Rhodo- 

 dendrons. But they have failed to grow in the ordinary soil of 

 the garden, first because it was deficient in decaying vegetable 

 matter, and secondly because of the dryness of the subsoil. 



In sandy loaoQ and having a moist base Rhododendrons 

 grow perfectly. Iq the vicinity of Manchpster, for instance, 

 few shrubs flourish so well as do these. They will grow also 

 in clay, but are slower in becoming eotablished than ia lighter 

 soil. They are susceptible of great injury by digging amoDg^t 

 the rools; and after planting them, no implement woiking 

 deeper than the hoe should be used amongst them. I am 

 convi[jc«3d that that and a moist base is of more importance 

 than the staple character of the soil. 



Iq the gardens lately in my charge, situated in a dry lime- 

 Btone district, Rhododendrons could not be made to flourish 

 except by deep excavations and introducing vegetable matter, 

 peat being preferable, but in the woods and plantations on 

 the same estate they are growiog by hundreds in peat, loam, 

 and clay. In my opinion they are moisture-loving plants and 

 will not thrive well on a dry subsoil, let the surface soil be of 

 whatever nature it may. 



With a moist base and deep soil, whether of loam or peat, I 

 should not hesitate to plant these shrubs freely, and by not 

 digging amongst them I should expect them to flourish, but I 

 have never seen them grow freely in shallow soil on a sub- 

 stratum of limestone. — A. Forestee. 



PERENNIAL ASTERS. 



AsTEKS are capable and worthy of a much more liberal and 

 scientiho treatment than even the best that can be done for 

 tbem with the spade. The Phlox, when treated in the rough 

 and ready way in which Asters generally are, is but a sorry 

 decoiative plant as compared with that which is grown from a 

 cutting annually and cultivated with some liberality ; and so 

 with Asters, which are susceptible of exactly the same treat- 

 ment. A single cuttiug of an Aster struck in a mild hotbed 

 in spring, may be made a much more beautiful object in the 

 autumn than a considerable clump of the same wiih its multi- 

 tude of stems tied up as they usually are to a tingle stake, 

 with no better result than that of strangling the development 

 of a large number of them. Some sorts are better adapted 

 for being grown single-stemmed than others, but all the late- 

 bloomicg sorts are improved by being annually raised by cut- 

 tinge. Those that have the finest effect when grown in this 

 way are such as develope their inflorescence in pyramidal form 

 and which branch freely from the lower part of the stem 

 upwards, those blooming only on the upper part of the stem 

 in paniculate or oorymtiose style being less elegant ; yet for 

 certain positions, such as where they are designed to overtop 

 masses of low-growing shrubs with their bloom, they are most 

 desirable. In the herbaceous border, u here every plant is, or 

 should be, seen apart from its neighbours, the pyramidal sorts 

 are extremely elegant and beautiful ; so much so, that I strongly 

 urge a trial of the method ou all who desire to have the best 

 of everything in its season. The treatment of the cuttings is 

 precisely the same as is given to cuttings of Phloxes, with this 

 difference, that they are more easily spoiled by heat, and 

 should therefore never be coddled up in any way. They must 

 be planted out as soon as they are thoroughly well established, 

 the ground being previously well dug and manured if poor. 

 One plant only, or three or four, may be planted together ac- 

 cording to degree of mas siveness and bulk desired ; and should 

 they throw up any suckers or stems from the root, these 

 should be removed at once so as to concentrate the whole 

 vigour of the plant on the development of one stem. Support 

 the stem properly as it advances in growth. The following 

 list comprehends twenty of the best sorts for decorative pur- 

 poses, and the earliest and latest bloomers. 



A. alpinus. — A neat, compact, dwarf plant, growing about 

 9 inches high, best adapted to rockwork, and for the front 

 line of a mixed border. The flowers are solitary, very large and 

 bright, but rather pale purplish blue, openiiig from May till 

 August. Native of mountain pastures on the Alps and 

 Pynneea. There is rather a beautiful but rather rare white- 

 flowered fo'm of this plant that is very desirable. 



A. altaicus. — This is also a dwarf-growins; species, with 

 very lurgo bright mauve-coloured flowers, blooming very freely 

 in July. Native of the Altai mountains. 



A. concofor.— Another dwarf neat-growing sort, with simple 



erect stems, terminating in raceme of deep purple flowers at 

 the height of a foot or 18 inches. It blooms continuously 

 from August to November. Native of North America. 



A. discolor. — A very neat and effective sort, growing about 

 18 inches high. The flowers open white, and change to pink 

 or reddish purple, and are produced in corymbs on the upper 

 part of the stems. They appear in August and September. 

 Native of North America. 



A Amelliis.— This species grows about 2 feet high, with erect 

 ligid stems, generally unbranched till near the top, where they 

 break out into an open corymb of pale blue flowers, which 

 appear in August, September, and October. Native of Central 

 and Southern Europe. 



A. blandus. — This species grows from 2 to 3 feet high, with 

 the stems numerously branched in pyramidal stjle, bearing a 

 profusion of pale purple flowers in October and November. 



A. dumosus. — An upright-growing sort, with stiff freely- 

 branching stems, furnii-hed almost from the base to the apex 

 in pyramid shape. The flowers are produced in the greatest 

 profusion, and are white, but small, opening in September 

 and October. Native of North America. 



.(. flegajis. — This sort grows about 2 feet high, branching 

 gracefully and freely. The flowers are produced very abun- 

 dantly from August till October, and are bright purplish blue. 

 Native of Siberia. 



A. ericoides. — One of the moat elegant of the group when 

 properly managed as to staking, &a. It grows about 3 feet 

 high, branching most freely from the base upwards. The 

 flowers are small individually, but in the extreme profusion in 

 which they are produced they are most effective. The colour 

 is white, and they open in September and October, and ia 

 northern places last till November. 



A. grandiforus. — This species grows abriut 3 feet high, and 

 branches freely in pyramidal fashion. The flowers are deep 

 blue or purple, and open in October and November. The 

 flowers are large and tine, but the late period at which they 

 open renders it a plant ill-suited for northern or cold late 

 places, except when a position at the base of a wall with a 

 southern exposure can be devoted to it. Native of North 

 America. 



-f. hcvis. — A handsome bright blue-flowered species, grow- 

 ing about 2 feet high. The flowers are produced in corymbs, 

 and open in September and October. Native of North America. 



A. longifolius-formosus. — A remarkably beautiful sort, grow- 

 ing about 2 to 3 feet high, with fine bright rosy-red flowers. 

 The species longifolius is a comparatively uninteresting one 

 with whitish flowers in no w.ny comparable with this variety, 

 which is one of the most ornamental and pleasing of Asters. 



.1. Xovcc-Aniilhc. — One of the handsomest and most effec- 

 tive of Asters as regards its flowers and inflorescence, but 

 rather too tall and weak in the stem to be considered tidy and 

 pleasing in habit. The stems rise to the height of 4 or 5 feet, 

 terminating in large open panicles of bright violet-purple 

 flowers which appear in September, October, and November. 

 There is a very fine and distinct form of this species named 

 ruber, which has the flowers, as the name implies, red — a fine 

 bright red — which in other respects is identical with the purple- 

 flowered species. Native of North America. 



A. Xovi-Belgii. — This grows about the same height as the 

 last, but the flowers are rather smaller, and pale blue with a 

 conspicuous yellow disc. The flowers appear in September 

 and October. Native of North America. 



A. puniceus. — This species grows about 3 feet high, with 

 stout stems terminating in an open corymb of purple flowers, 

 which open in September, October, and November. Native of 

 Noith America. 



A. panic ulatus. — A fine large-flowered species, rising to the 

 height of about -1 feet, the stems branching freely at the top, 

 and forming an open panicle of bright blue flowers, which 

 open in October and November. Native of North America. 



A. patens. — A dwarf-growing species, about 18 inches high. 

 The flowers are produced in open panicles, arc deep purple, 

 and appear in September and October. Native of N. America. 



A. scriceus. — A very distinct and pretty species, with some- 

 what stubby stems branching freely, each branch terminating 

 in a solitary large fine blue flower. It grows about 3 feet 

 high, and flowers in summer and autumn, and into winter in 

 warm loca'.ities. Perhaps not hardy in the north of Scotland, 

 where I ha'e had no experience of it. Native of Missouri. 



A. turbinelliis. — A very handsome species, growing to the 

 height of from 3 to 4 feet. It branches freely and flowers 

 very profusely. The flowers are large, fine dark blue or 



