MY SHRUBS 103 



path. The time is still far distant when I go botanising on an 

 old bear path ; but I am none the less filled with hearty admiration, 

 untinctured by jealousy, for those spirited pioneers who pursue 

 their floral quarries even in the face of such possible opposition. 

 It is true that Mr. William Watson, one of the greatest of English 

 botanists and our first authority on the rhododendron race, speaks 

 of " old " bear paths. But you never know. Old bears — ^the real, 

 conservative '* backwoodsmen " sort of bears — ^would be almost 

 certain to prefer the old paths ; and equally certain to resent an 

 intruder upon them. 



Before reluctantly dragging myself away from Rhododendron, 

 I may mention the " azaleodendrons,^^ as they are called by some 

 gardeners. They have resulted from the marriage of a yellow 

 azalea and a seedling evergreen rhododendron, and the result, as 

 it appears in R. Broughtonii and R, Smithii aureum, is exceedingly 

 beautiful. They are hardy evergreens, with fine trusses of yellow 

 blossoms of good size and beautiful shape. I hunger much for 

 R. Loderty but know not where to find it. This superb cross 

 between R. Griffithianum and R, Fortunei was made by Sir E. 

 Loder at his far-famed gardens of Leonardslee. The flowers are 

 very large and very fragrant, and the plant is vigorous and hardy ; 

 but I think it has not found its way to the public of Rhodo-lovers 

 as yet. The Javanese rhododendrons, yellow, white, pink, and 

 scarlet, are very beautiful pot-plants, but demand the heat of the 

 stove and unlimited moisture. Few amateurs succeed with them. 

 Of their hybrids, R. " Souvenir of Mr, Mangles " is a brilliant 

 beauty — bright salmon pink. 



Rhodora canadensis is a deciduous rhododendron whose pale 

 purple flowers appear before the leaves ; while Rhodothamnus 



