ON THE CULTURE OF INDIAN (GREENHOUSE) AZALEAS. 277 



ARTICLE VII. 



ON THE CULTURE OF INDIAN (GREENHOUSE) AZALEAS. 



BY A LONDON EXHIBITOR. 



The splendid specimens which are exhibited in, and around London, 

 of the Azalea indica, being much superior to any I have seen at the 

 country shows, induces me to send the'particulars of culture. 



As soon as the plants have done flowering, if shifting is necessary, 

 prepare some compost mould for them in the following proportions : 

 two-thirds bog earth, one-third well decomposed tree-leaf mould, 

 and one-twelfth"sharp silver sand : they must not be sifted, but well 

 chopped and broken with the spade; any lumps remaining maybe 

 broken with the hand. Having a pot a size larger than the one the 

 plant to be shifted has been growing in, and washed clean inside and 

 out, then proceed to pot the plant, taking care the drainage is well 

 attended to, for upon this depends in a very great measure the success 

 of the plant. In potting, I think it an advantage to place the centre 

 of the ball rather lower than the mould at the outside of the pot, and 

 form as it were a little basin inside, as by this means the whole mass 

 of roots is benefited by the water given from time to time ; and if 

 the drainage is effectually performed, the water will pass through as 

 freely and quickly as when the plant is potted high in the pot. The 

 plants being potted, place them in the stove, where attention must be 

 paid to watering when necessary. They will be very much benefited 

 by being syringed all over at least once a day ; and in sunny days 

 they will require to be syringed three or four times each day. With 

 this treatment they will grow amazingly, and in the course of six or 

 eight weeks will have made shoots from three to nine inches in 

 length. They must be kept in the stove till the flower-buds for the 

 ensuing year have attained the size of a small pea, which can easily 

 be ascertained by feeling the ends of the shoots ; they should then be 

 placed in the greenhouse for ten days or a fortnight to harden, when, 

 if the weather is suitable, they may be placed out of doors in a cool 

 airy situation, till the time for taking in the general stock of green- 

 house plants. 



Where the plants have bloomed so profusely as almost to exhaust 

 them, tie some moss round the principal stems, and keep it con- 

 stantly moist ; this will cause them to break regularly and grow 

 freely. 



