Rhododendron. 



165 



from being one of the best and most showy species, but is 

 known to be entirely hardy and especially adapted to our 

 soil and climate. It has, therefore, an important mission to 

 perform in becoming the foundation of the many new crea- 

 tions which to us constitute the glory of the rhododendron 

 family, and as such should carry the numerous varieties 

 and hybrids, which, en- 

 riched by the blood of 

 the arbor eum and pon- 

 ticum, constitute the 

 rich fields from which 

 our selections are to 

 be made. In England 

 the best growers use 

 only the catawbiense 

 for budding or grafting 

 stocks for the Ameri- 

 can market, and their 

 plants on catawbiense 

 roots are confessedly the best of all the importations that 

 come to us. There is no good reason why we should not 

 grow for ourselves all the rhododendrons we need, but 

 thus far the home production is exceedingly limited. R. 

 maximum is another hardy sort, thriving as far north as 

 New England, which can also be used as stocks with equal 

 safety, and there are perhaps still others. 



The rhododendron should not only be well fortified in 

 its essential qualities, so far as the constitution of the plant 

 itself is concerned, but its demands must be recognized 

 for peculiar situations and to some extent especial care. 



HYBRID RHODODENDRON. 



