An Encyclopedia of Horticulture. 



149 



Azalea — continued. 



popular hardy deciduous slirubs. When plants are grown 

 in the open, artificial crossing will be unnecessary ; but this 

 method must be employed upon those grown in the cool 

 greenhouse, if well fertilised seeds arc required. The seed 

 should be gathered and sown when ripe in a large shallow 

 frame containing from *2in. to Sin. of peat, over which more 

 peat must be laid very level by means of a fine sieve ; 

 or they may be kept until early the following spring. No 

 covering will be necessary, but a thorough watering with 

 a fine-rosed water-pot must bo given. The lights should 

 be darkened, and the frames kept close until the young 

 seedlings begin to appear, when they must have air (care- 

 fully admitted), shade, and a daily sprinkling of water. By 

 the autumn, they will bo largo enough to transplant in 

 small clumps into boxes of peat and coarse sand, and to 

 place in other frames, or in the open. In each case, they 

 will need w^atering, shading, and to be kept close until 

 growth commences. The hardier the plants are liefore 

 winter commences, the better ; but a protection of mats or 

 similar material will prevent the probability of their being 

 killed by severe frosts. During the following season, they 

 will only require water during dry weather, and no pro- 

 tection need be afforded this winter. The next spring, they 

 should be planted out singly in beds, sufficiently wide apart 

 to allow the development of two years' growth. If an 

 upright growth is being made, the leading shoot must bo 

 shortened, in order to secure dwarf, well-branched plants. 

 The same methods should be employed on a smaller scale 

 where but a few are wanted. Grafting is largely prac- 

 tised to increase the stock of named varieties or choice 

 eeedlings, the stock employed being A. j^ontica. This 

 process, of course, ensures the quicker production of flower- 

 ing plants. Layering in March, encasing the part buried 

 with moss, is also some times practised ; but the layer 

 must bo left two years before separating. Cuttings of the 

 last year's wood, 2in. or Sin. long, taken with a heel, 

 root readily in sand ; about the end of August is the best 

 time for so doing. If they are pricked off in pots or 

 pans of sandy soil, and kept in a cool frame until they 

 are calloused, and afterwards introduced into a slight 

 bottom heat, they root quicker, but this is not absolutely 

 essential. When placed outside, they should be covered 

 with a handlight for about two month?', and, at the end 

 of this time, air should be gradually given and increased. 

 Ghent Azaleas are now forced extensively for the market 

 as well as in private gardens ; and, by judicious culture, 

 they can be bad in full blossom by Christmas. With this 

 end in view, they should bo grown in pots, and have the 

 growth prematurely completed soon after flowering with 

 the aid of a little artificial heat ; after which they may 

 be placed outside. During very hot and dry weather, the 

 north side of a wall is necessary, to prevent their flower- 

 ing in the autumn. The same plants must only be forced 

 every alternate year. Commence to place the plants in 

 heat in October, and keep up a succession ixntil the 

 following March. The best plants for forcing purposes 

 are obtained from the Continent, where they are grown 

 in enormous quantities. When grown permanently out 

 of doors, the most suitable soil is peat and rough sand 

 mixed. Failing this, leaf mould, maiden loam, and .sand, 

 will be found satisfactory. In many cases, we have known 

 them to flourish in ordinary garden soil. 



The following varieties of Ghent Azaleas are distinct, and all 

 worth growing : Admiral de Ruyter, deep red-scarlet, very fine ; 

 Altaclerensis, bright yellow ; AMOiNA, fight pink ; Carnea 

 ELEGANS, pale pink, shaded sulphur; Coccinea major, dark 

 scarlet, very fine ; Cui'REa splendens, rich pink, shaded yellow ; 

 Decorata, lovely pink ; Directeur Charles Baumann, rich 

 vermilion, spotted yellow ; Elector, rich oranse-scarlet ; Geant 

 des Batailles, deep crimson, very fine ; Madame Joseph 

 Baumann, bright pink, very free and good ; Maria Verschaf- 

 FELT, shaded pink and yellow; Mirabilis, very lovely pink; 

 Morteri, rich yellow, shailed rosy-red; PONTICA macrantha, 

 rich deei> sulphur, very large and tine ; Princesse d'Orange, 

 salmon-pink, very fine; Sanguinea, deep crimson; Viscosa 

 FLORIBUNDA, pure white, very fragrant. 



Azalea — contimi e d . 



A. arborescens (treelike).* Jl. large, reddish, not clannny, 

 leafy; Uihv c.f corolla longer than the segments; calyx leafy, 

 with the segments oblong and arute. May. L, of the flower 

 buds large, yellowish-brown, surrounded with a fringed A^hite 

 border, obovate, rather obtuse, smooth on both surfaces, glau- 

 cous beneath, ciliated on the margins, and having the niiilrib 

 almost smooth, h. 10ft. to 20ft, Pennsylvania, 1818. Deciduous 

 species. 



A. balsamineeflora (Balsam-flowered).* jl bright salmony red, 

 lincly douhle autl n'suttr-like, the segments regularly inibri- 

 i-ated. much rest-nibling in general appearance the blooms of a 

 Camellia-flowered Balsam. Japan. It is a distinct species, and 

 remains in bloom for a considerable period ; the flowers are in- 

 valuable for bouquets. See Fig. 196, for which wo are indebted 

 to I\Ir. Bull. 



A. calendulacea (Marigold-like).* Jl yellow, red, orange, and 

 copix'r cnldured, large, not clammy, rather naked ; tube of corolla 

 hairy, shorter than the segments. May. I. oblong, pubescent on 

 both surfaces, at length hairy. /(. 2ft. to 6ft. Pennsylvania to 

 Carolina, 1806. This is said to be the handsomest shrub in North 

 America. There are several varieties of it in cultivation. Hardy • 

 deciduous. (B. M. 1721, 2143.) 



A. hlsplda (bristly). Jl. white, with a red border and a tinge 

 of red on the tube, which is wide and scarcely longer than 

 the segments, very clammy, leafy ; stamens ten. July. I. long- 

 lanceolate, hispid above, and smooth beneath, glaucous on 

 both surfaces, ciliated on the margins, and having the nerve 

 bristly beneath. Branches straight, and very hispid, h. 10ft. 

 to 15ft. New York, &c., 1734. A hardy deciduous species. 

 (W. D. B. 1, 6.J 



Fig. 197. Flower of Azalea ledifolia, 



A. ledifolia (Ledum-Ieaved).* /. pure white, showy; corolla 

 cauipanulutc ; in threes at the extremities of the branches; 

 calyx erect, glandular, and vistnd. March. I. elliptic-lanceo- 

 late, h. 2ft. to 6ft. China, 1819. The whole shrub is very 

 hairy. Hardy ; evergreen. Syn. A. lilujiora. See Fig. 197. 

 (B. M. 2901.) 



A. lilliflora (lily-flowered). Synonymous with A. ledifolia. 



A. nudiflora (naked-flowered).* /. in terminal clustered racemes, 

 appearing tiefnre the leaves, ratlier naked, not clammy; tube of 

 corolla longer than the segments ; teetli of calyx short, rather 

 rounded ; stamens much exserted. June. L lanceolate-oblong, 

 nearly smooth and green nn both surfaces, cili.ated on the margins, 

 having the midrib bristly beneath, ami woolly above. //. 3ft. to 

 4ft. North America, 1734. This species hybridises very freely 

 with A. calcndufaceat A. pontica, A. viscosa, &c., and descriptive 

 lists of a host of hybrids of almost every conceivable shade, 

 both double and single, are to be found in continental and 

 home catalogues, to which the reader is referred. Hardy. 

 (\V. F. A., t. 36.) 



A. pontica (Pontic).* jl. leafy, clammy ; corolla funnel-shaped ; 

 stamens very long. May. I. shining, ovate, oblong, pilose, 

 ciliated. h. 4ft. to 6ft. Levant, Caucasus, &c., 1793. The 

 varieties of this species are also numerous, differing prin- 

 cipally in the colour of the flowers and the hue of the leaves. 

 The flowers are of all shades, and frequently striped. The 

 name generally adopted, as above, must not be confounded 

 with Rhododendron jionticuiii. If tlie genus Azalea is merged 

 into Rhododendron, as is done by most systematists, this 

 plant must be called by Don's name, Rhododendron Jlavum. 

 (I. H. 1864,415.) 



A. proonmbens (procumbent). See Loiseleria procnmbens. 



A. Bpeciosa (.-.howy).* .rf. scarlet and orange coloured ; corolla 

 silky, with obtuse, ciliated, lanceolate, undulated segments ; 

 calyx pubescent. May. I. lanceolate, ciliated, acute at both 



