6 Commercial Gardening 



Arbutus. The best-known species is A. Unedo, the British Strawberry 

 Tree, with evergreen finely toothed leaves, clusters of drooping white or 

 rose-tinted flowers in autumn, followed by roundish granular Strawberry- 

 like fruits. There are varieties like coccinea, rubra, microphylla, and 

 Croomei, which are either grafted on stocks of the common species or 

 layered. The Grecian A. Andrachne, 10-15 ft. high, has greenish-white 

 flowers in March and April; and A. Menziesi (procera) from North 

 America has Laurel-like leaves, and white flowers in September. There 

 is a hybrid group supposed to have originated between Unedo and 

 Andrachne, and there are several varieties like magnified,, photinicefolia, 

 Milleri, Rollisoni, and serratifolia with a flowering period between 

 December and February. 



Aucuba japonica. There are male or pollen-bearing and female or 

 berry-bearing plants of this species. The male kind was introduced from 

 Japan by Robert Fortune in 1850, but the female was introduced as early 

 as 1783. There are now many varieties, differing chiefly in the mottling 

 and variegation of the leaves some having wholly green foliage. By 

 raising the plants from seeds still further variations are possible. A great 

 trade is done in Aucubas, and thousands are sold annually in all stages 

 of growth, from 9 in. to 3 ft. high, from the open, and also in pots. Female 

 plants are largely grown in 5-in. pots for winter decoration. When in 

 bloom they are hand fertilized with pollen collected from the male plants. 

 In this way a good crop of crimson berries are secured; but there is a 

 yellow -fruited variety called luteocarpa. The plants are usually grown 

 under glass for this purpose. Propagation is chiefly by cuttings in the 

 open air, or in frames. Large pieces inserted in a hotbed of coconut fibre 

 or leaf mould root readily, and in this way bushy plants are now quickly 

 secured. Layering in the open air is also adopted, and seeds should be 

 sown in warmth. 



Azalea. Besides the more tender Indian Azaleas (see Vol. II, p. 130) 

 there are several hardy species and varieties. The natural species are 

 practically confined to botanical collections, and include arborescens, 10-20 ft., 

 deciduous, reddish flowers; calendulacea, 2-6 ft., deciduous, yellow, red and 

 orange; amcena, 1-3 ft., rich crimson, a magnificent evergreen quite hardy 

 in the London area; mollis (or sinensis), 3-4 ft., deciduous, orange red, 

 and yellow, with almost innumerable forms with a great range of yellow, 

 orange, salmon, rose, and intermediate shades of colour; one of the most 

 popular forms being Anthony Koster; nudiflora, 3-4 ft., deciduous, pink 

 or purple; occidentalis, from California, produces its white sweet-scented 

 flowers in June and July; pontica (flava), pale yellow; rhombica, bright 

 rose purple; Schlippenbachi, bright rose; Vaseyi, pale rose to white; and 

 viscosa, white. 



The Ghent, American, or Honeysuckle Azaleas have originated from 

 nudiflora, calendulacea, and occidentalis, and are remarkable for their 

 fragrance and hardiness, and for their brilliant colouring from May to 

 July. There are numerous single- and double-flowered varieties, all easily 



