1 20 EQ0D0DEND110N LANATUM. 



desired combination of yellow flowers with good evergreen foliage in Bhodo- 

 dendrons, WigMii, lanatum and campglocarpum, may be mentioned as examples.' 



Doubts have been expressed whether tbe figures published by Dr. Hooker, from 

 drawings made by native artists in the Himalaya, might not be exaggerated ; but 

 there does not appear the smallest reason for supposing this to be the case, on the 

 contrary, it is probable that the plants now growing in this country will produce 

 blossoms exceeding in size those of the plants in their native habitats. In the 

 first species which flowered in this country, ciliatum—oi which a figure appeared in 

 the Botanical Magazine for May, 1852— the blossoms were fully one- third larger than 

 those of the wild plant ; and as showing the tendency the Sikkim Ehododendrons 

 evince to produce their flowers in a young state, we may remark, that the species 

 just mentioned was only seven inches high, and but twenty months old. 



In the little work recently issued by Messrs. Standish and Noble of Bagshot, of 

 which we have given a notice at the end of the present number, we find some 

 instructions for the cultivation of these Sikkim Rhododendrons, upon which our 

 readers may implicitly rely, these gentlemen having been very successful in their 

 treatment, and their plants being the largest in the trade. 



Some fears had been entertained by Dr. Hooker, that these noble plants would 

 prove unsuitable for cultivation in England, less on account of the severity of our 

 winters, than for the late, cold, and changeable springs which, in many years, are 

 indeed only a prolongation of the winter. In the Sikkim Himalaya, the mean 

 temperature of the months of November, December, January and February, differs 

 but little from that of London ; but the increment of temperature which occurs 

 in the native regions of these Ehododendrons early in March, and which rapidly 

 excites them into growth, does not take place in this country before the month of 

 May. The chief difficulty in their cultivation will therefore occur in early spring ; 

 but in the case of those species which do not flower until June, Messrs Standish and 

 and Noble are of opinion that they will be found much hardier than was supposed. 



' From the accounts given by Dr. Hooker of their time of flowering, 1 these 

 gentlemen observe, ' many of them not putting forth their blossoms till June, we 

 trust they will prove much more valuable as hardy plants than the old arhoreum, 

 which, however beautiful it may be, can only be successfully grown out of doors in 

 the more favoured situations in Great Britain. Whether they will retain their 

 late flowering qualities in this county, must for the present remain an open 

 question ; but as the greater part of them are perfectly hardy, if they should be 

 found to bloom earlier than we anticipate from their natural habits, there are many 

 situations in the country where spring frosts are but very slightly felt, in which 

 they may be successfully grown. It is possible that one or two of the species, as 

 Dalhousim and argentcum, may be better suited for the conservatory than the 

 American garden under any circumstances. But, whatever situation they may 



