ON THE CULTURE OF THE AZALEA. 31 



they are allowed to remain until the cold forebodes frost ; they are 

 then taken up, the fibres being carefully preserved, and are put 

 into pots proportioned to the size of each root ; the crown of the 

 plant is well covered with earth, and the compost used consists of 

 two parts leaf-mould, one ditto sandy peat, one ditto ashes of 

 burnt vegetables, and a small portion of thoroughly rotted dung. 

 The plants thus potted are then arranged in a cold frame, and 

 plunged to the rim in coal ashes ; in mild weather the glass is 

 taken off ; but by night, protection from frost, and by day from 

 cold and rough wind, is indispensible. On the flowers appearing, 

 the plants are removed to the greenhouse, and are placed as near 

 the windows as possible, to have the advantage both of sun and 

 air ; they are abundantly watered with soft water, of the same 

 temperature as the atmosphere they are growing in ; the leaves 

 also are occasionally well sprinkled ; but this operation is gone 

 through in the morning, and the windows of the house are imme- 

 diately opened, otherwise the leaves would drop off, and the roots 

 decay. The pots are well drained with pieces of brick. The 

 dividing the roots to increase the stock of plants, is bad. The 

 roots are a long time recovering the wound thus given, and do not 

 afterwards flower so strong. Young plants are obtained very easily 

 from seed." Louisa Harriet. 



Buckinghamshire, December, 1835. 



ARTICLE III.— Remarks on the Culture, 8;c. of the 

 Azalea. By Mr. Ch. Van Geert, Nurseryman 

 and Florist, St. Willebrord, Antwerp. 



The Azalea is a well-known plant throughout Belgium, and 

 forms one of the most splendid decorations of the flower garden. 

 It is generally considered to be the most beautiful genus of the 

 hardy shrubs. Its neat form and bushy growth, the vast profusion 

 of its flowers, the extensive variety and splendour of colours in 

 the flowers, their appearance at a season when few other flowers 

 are in bloom, and the little trouble which the plant recpiires when 

 grown in a suitable soil and a good situation, — all combine to 

 cause the plant to be much admired, sought after, and introduced 

 into nearly every pleasure garden in Belgium. 



