A NOVEL TRELLIS. 



289 



AZALEA CULTURE. 



ZALEA IXDICA is one of our most 

 ^iV^ popular winter and spring- flowering 

 evergreen plants. With a good 

 collection, the Azalea may be had 

 in flower from Christmas to May, if kept 

 in a cool house and a few plants brought into 

 a higher temperature as the buds advance. 



SOIL. 



The best soil for the Azalea is a compost 

 of two parts good leaf-mould, one of light 

 fibrous loam, and a little well-rotted manure. 



DRAINAGE. 



Thorough draioage of the pots is most 

 essential. Pot firmly, and do not use too 

 large sized pots. Be sure the ball of roots 

 is thoroughly soaked before potting. Large 

 plants do not need repotting very often, but 

 should be given a little weak manure water 

 occasionally. The best time to repot the 

 Azalea is soon after it has done flowerino-. 



After potting they should be kept in a 

 close atmosphere for a few days, and freely 

 syringed. About the end of May they 

 should be plunged outside in partial shade, 

 and kept well syringed and watered every 

 day during the hot months to encourage 

 new growth and the forming of new flower 

 buds. They should be taken inside before 

 the first frost and given less water until 

 they begin to flower, when they ag^ain 

 require a free supply. 



The Azalea as a house plant has not 

 hitherto been a success. The atmosphere 

 of an ordinary dwelling is too dry, thus 

 encouraging red spider and thrip, which 

 soon destro)- the foliage. If the plants are 

 syringed with water every day they will be 

 greatly benefited, and by this means some 

 have managed to grow them successfully for 

 at least three successive seasons. 



Hamilton. Samuel Aylett. 



A NOVEL TRELLIS. 



Fig. 1S43. 



A Novel Trellis for morningglorys is thus 

 described in Park's Floral Magazine : I 

 make a trench four inches wide, in a circle 



eight feet in diameter. After the soil has 

 been enriched by rotted manure, and well 

 pulverized, plant the seeds. The plants 

 grow quickly and in a few weeks they will 

 be large enough to string. Put a pole 

 eig^ht feet high in the centre of the circle ; 

 insert one end in the ground, and in the 

 other drive a nail ; put the strings four 

 inches apart at the bottom, carrying around 

 the nail in the top of pole and down again. 

 If a door is made in one side it makes a 

 novel tent for the little folks, besides being 

 beautiful. 





