AZALEAS 



92 



BABIANA 



A. i'ndica igne'scens (fire-coloured). 2. Brown. April. 



China. 

 lateri'tia (brick-Ted-coloured). 2. Red. May. 



China. 1833. 

 phoeni'cea (purple). 3. Purple. April. China. 



1824. 

 purpu'reo-ple'na (double-purple). 4. Purple. 



May. China. 1819. 

 ., ,, variega'ta (variegated). 4. Striped. June. 



China. 1824. 



,, linearifo'lia. Rose. February. Japan. 1869. 

 mo'llis. Yellow, rose, orange, white. Japan. 1867. 



See A. SINENSIS. 



gla'brior. Orange. Japan. 1868. 

 obtu'sa (blunt-leaved), i|. Red. March. China. 



1844. 



a'lba (Veitch Cat., 1887, 9). Japan. 

 ,, occidentalis. White, yellow. California. 

 ,, Oldha'mi. See RHODODENDRON OLDHAMI. 

 ,, ova'ta (egg-shape-leaved) . 8. Pink. China. 1844. 

 a'lba (white-flowered). 8. White. May. N. 



China. 1844. 



,, ramenta'cea. White. March. Hong-Kong. 1846. 

 roscefto'ra. Lake-red (double). Japan. 1848. See 



A. BALSA MIN^EFLORA. 



serpyllifo'lia. White. Japan. 1882. 



,, sine'nsis (Chinese). 3. Yellow. May. China. 1823. 



Syn. A. mollis. 

 squama' fa (scaly). 2. Rose, crimson. March. 



China. 1844. Syi.. R. Farrerce. 

 ,, stenope'fala. Rosy. Japan. 1864. 



AZALEAS (AMERICAN). These include what are called 

 Ghent Azaleas, which are seedling varieties of A. calen- 

 dula' 'cea, A. nudiflo'ra, A. specio'sa, and A. visco'sa. 

 The varieties were first raised in the neighbourhood of 

 Ghent. 



Propagation. By layers in the month of March : the 

 layers require notching or twisting. If the part buried 

 in the ground is covered with moss they will root more 

 freely. They should not be taken off the parent till 

 after the second year's growth. Many of these are now 

 raised from seeds. 



Soil. Sandy peat, in a dry situation, at least eighteen 

 inches deep ; but, in a damp one, a foot deep will be 

 sufficient. 



Culture. In spring, protect the young shoots and 

 flowers by hoops in low situations, as the late frosts often 

 destroy the young, early shoots. In winter, and in 

 summer, if the soil is very dry, cover the bed with green 

 moss. 



Diseases. Sometimes the plants die off just at the 

 surface of the soil, owing to too much moisture. The 

 remedy, if the situation is low and damp, is either to 

 drain it thoroughly, or to raise the bed completely above 

 the general level of the ground. 



Varieties may be raised by crossing the kinds in such 

 a way as is likely to effect a pleasing change. Choose 

 the best forms and brightest colours ; let the plants 

 with flowers of the best form be the seed-bearing mother, 

 and rely for the colour upon the pollen of the male. 

 Sow the seed in April, in pans, placed under a cold 

 frame ; prick the seedlings out the year following in 

 beds, four inches apart, to remain till they flower. 



AZALEAS (INDIAN or CHINESE). 



Raising Varieties. The best and most certain way to 

 obtain new varieties is by impregnating the best-shaped 

 flowers with the pollen of some fine, high-coloured variety. 

 Remove the anthers before they burst from the one 

 intended to seed ; cover with fine gauze the flower im- 

 pregnated, to prevent impregnation by insects. When 

 the seed is ripe, gather it, and sow it the February 

 following in shallow pans, in a gentle heat. As soon as 

 the seedlings have two or three leaves, transplant them 

 into fresh, sandy peat, in deeper pans. They may re- 

 main in these pans till the spring following ; then pot 

 them singly into 2j-inch pots, and grow them on, repot- 

 ting them as they require it, till they flower. 



Propagation by Cuttings. Take the young tops, three 

 inches long ; dress them by cutting off the bottom 

 leaves. Fill a pot, to within an inch of the top, with 

 sandy peat ; fill up the rest with silver sand ; put in the 

 cuttings thickly ; water gently. Place in a close frame 

 where there is a slight bottom-heat and a cool surface, 

 and when rooted gradually expose them. They should 



thus remain till rooted ; then place them in a greenhouse 

 for a week or two. They may then be potted off singly 

 into small pots, and placed in a close frame till fresh 

 roots are made ; then gradually inure them to bear the 

 full sun and air ; re-pot, and grow on to any size required. 



Propagation by Grafting. See GRAFTING. The best 

 mode is that called side- grafting. The grafts must be 

 very small, not more than i to ij-inch long ; tie them 

 with worsted, or thick cotton thread, to the stock. The 

 best time is early spring. Place the grafted plants in a 

 close frame, in gentle heat. The stock most suitable is 

 the common form of Aza'lea i'ndica or A. phceni'cea, 

 both easy to strike. 



Soil. Sandy peat three-fourths, light loam one- 

 fourth. 



Summer Culture.- Azaleas require the same treatment 

 as Camellias. After the bloom is over give them a 

 moderate degree of artificial heat, 55 to 60. Syringe 

 them freely during that period. As soon as they have 

 made their growth, give plenty of air for a fortnight, and 

 then set them behind a low, north wall till autumn. 



Winter Culture. As soon as there is any fear of frost, 

 remove them into an airy greenhouse, and keep them 

 just from frost, and give very moderate supplies of water. 

 When they begin to show flower, give more heat, and a 

 more liberal supply of water. 



Insects. The Thrips is the great pest of Azaleas ; 

 but the Green-fly is also apt to trouble them when 

 growing. Both insects may be destroyed by tobacco- 

 smoke frequently applied. 



Diseases. These plants are often attacked by a disease 

 which causes them to die off just at the crown of the 

 roots. The small-leaved varieties, such as A. i'ndica, 

 var. Gledstane'sii, lateri'tia, and variega'ta, are especially 

 subject to die off thus prematurely. This is caused by a 

 fungoid disease, which may be checked by the use of 

 lime and sulphur. 



AZALEA'STRUM ALBIFLO'RUM. See RHODODEN- 

 DRON ALBIFLORUM. 



AZA'RA. (Named after /. N. Azara, a Spanish 

 patron of botany. Nat. ord. Btxads [Bixaceae]. Linn. 

 3-Polyandria i-Monogynia.) 



Greenhouse evergreens. Cuttings in sand, peat, and 

 loam, in close frame, with bottom-heat. Sandy loam. 

 Summer temp., 60 to 75 ; winter, 55 to 60. 



A. denta'ta (toothed-leaved). 10. Yellow. Chili. 1830. 

 ,, Gillie'sii (B. M., t. 5178). 15. Yellow. Spring. 



Chili. 1859. 



.. integrifo'lia (entire-leaved). 18. Conception. 1832. 

 ,, microphy'lla. 12. Greenish. Autumn. Chili. 1873. 

 ,, serra'ta (saw-edged). 12. Chili. 1832. 



AZI'MA. (From azimena, the Malagasy name of a 

 shrub. Nat. ord. Salvadoracese.) 



A, tetraca'ntha (four-spined). 3. White. July. India. 

 1758. 



AZO'LLA. (From azo, to dry, and olio, to kill. Nat. 

 ord. Marsileaceae.) 



A half-hardy aquatic that has escaped into ditches 

 and streams in some parts of England. It is usually 

 grown in greenhouses and stoves, and floats on the 

 surface of the water, in water-lily and other tanks. 



A. carolinia'na. J. Leaves minute, green, or red out- 

 doors. 

 ,, pinna' ta, of gardens. See A. CAROLINIANA. 



BABIA'NA. (From babianer, the Dutch for baboon ; 

 in reference to the bulbs being eaten by the baboons. 

 Nat. ord. Irids [Iridaceae]. Linn. 3-Triandria, i-Mono- 

 gynia.) 



All greenhouse bulbs, from the Cape of Good Hope. 

 Offsets ; sandy peat and loam ; water freely when grow- 

 ing. Keep dry when it rest. Those potted in autumn 

 must be kept in a cold pit or greenhouse during winter. 

 Those planted in spring, in a warm border, should be 

 taken up before winter, and kept secure from frost. 



B. angustifo'lia (narrow-leaved). See B. STRICTA. 

 bi' color (two-coloured). Blue, white. June. 1843. 



