124 On the Culture of Azaleas. 



The Camellia is justly allowed to occupy a high place 

 among the flowering plants, and I do not hesitate in placing 

 the Indian Azalea as a fit companion for it, hardly inferior, as 

 regards habit and foliage, and far superior in producing a mass 

 of rich colored flowers. They are shrubby evergreens, of 

 free growth, flowers of infinite variety of color, remaining a 

 long time on the plant, and slightly fragrant, possessed of all 

 the properties desirable in an ornamental plant ; and bloom 

 from January to May, a season when all flowers are doubly 

 valued. 



Raising new varieties of plants from seeds, is a very inter- 

 esting branch of floriculture, but unless the flowers are hybrid- 

 ized, it is of little use to spend time with such as Azalea, 

 that require two or three years' cultivation previous to flower- 

 ing, as the chances of possessing anything superior to the 

 parent are few. With hybridized seeds, the case is different ; 

 when these are obtained, they should be sown in February, 

 in well drained vessels containing two or three inches of soil, 

 of a light sandy texture. Leaving a perfectly level surface, 

 sow the seeds and cover with a sprinkling of sand, and apply 

 moisture carefully. Wooden boxes are generally preferred for 

 vegetating seeds of this description, as they do not abstract 

 moisture from the soil so rapidly as earthenware, a point of 

 great importance with small seeds like those in question, that 

 are easily disarranged with water, A little moss spread on 

 the surface is a good medium to water through. When the 

 young plants have made their third leaf, transplant them in 

 fresh soil about an inch apart, and keep them from the direct 

 rays of the sun. They will soon require placing separately 

 in small pots, and will do better in the house than out of 

 doors, for the first year. In the following spring, shift them 

 into four inch pots, and keep them in the house until Au- 

 gust. They may then be set out of doors for two months. 

 Perhaps a few of the strongest will form flower buds ; the 

 greater part will not do so until the following season. They 

 will not require much water or heat during winter, and when 

 the growing season again approaches, place them in six inch 

 pots, and treat them as before, viz : set them out of doors 



