AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



149 



Azalea continued. 



popular hardy deciduous shrubs. When plants are grown 

 in the open, artificial crossing will be unnecessary ; but this 

 method must be employed upon those grown in the cool 

 greenhouse, if well fertilised seeds are required. The seed 

 should be gathered and sown when ripe in a large shallow 

 frame containing from 2in. to Sin. of peat, over which more 

 peat must be laid very level by means of a fine sieve; 

 or they may be kept until early the following spring. No 

 covering will be necessary, but a thorough watering with 

 a fine-rosed water-pot must be given. The lights should 

 be darkened, and the frames kept close until the young 

 seedlings begin to appear, when they must have air (care- 

 fully admitted), shade, and a daily sprinkling of water. By 

 the autumn, they will be large enough to transplant in 

 email clamps into boxes of peat and coarse sand, and to 

 place in other frames, or in the open. In each case, they 

 will need watering, shading, and to be kept close until 

 growth commences. The hardier the plants are before 

 winter commences, the better ; but a protection of mats or 

 similar material will prevent the probability of their being 

 killed by severe frosts. During the following season, they 

 will only require water during dry weather, and no pro- 

 tection need be afforded this winter. The next spring, they 

 should be planted out singly in beda, sufficiently wide apart 

 to allow the development of two years' growth. If an 

 upright growth is being made, the leading shoot must bo 

 shortened, in order to secure dwarf, well-branched plants. 

 The same methods should be employed on a smaller scale 

 where but a few are wanted. Grafting is largely prac- 

 tised to increase the stock of named varieties or choice 

 seedlings, the stock employed being A. pontica. This 

 process, of course, ensures the quicker production of flower- 

 ing plants. Layering in March, encasing the part buried 

 with moss, is also some times practised ; but the layer 

 must be left two years before separating. Cuttings of the 

 last year's wood, 2in. or Sin. long, taken with a heel, 

 root readily in sand ; about the end of August is the best 

 time for so doing. If they are pricked off in pots or 

 pans of sandy soil, and kept in a cool frame until they 

 are calloused, and afterwards introduced into a slight 

 bottom heat, they root quicker, but this is not absolutely 

 essential. When placed outside, they should be covered 

 with a handlight for about two months, and, at the end 

 of this time, air should be gradually given and increased. 

 Ghent Azaleas are now forced extensively for the market 

 as well as in private gardens ; and, by judicious culture, 

 they can be had in full blossom by Christmas. With this 

 end in view, they should be grown in pots, and have the 

 growth prematurely completed soon after flowering with 

 the aid of a little artificial heat; after which they may 

 be placed outside. During very hot and dry weather, the 

 north side of a wall is necessary, to prevent their flower- 

 ing in the autumn. The same plants must only be forced 

 every alternate year. Commence to place the plants in 

 heat in October, and keep up a succession until the 

 following March. The best plants for forcing purposes 

 are obtained from the Continent, where they are grown 

 in enormous quantities. When grown permanently out 

 of doors, the most suitable soil is peat and rough sand 

 mixed. Failing this, leaf mould, maiden loam, and sand, 

 will be found satisfactory. In many cases, we have known 

 them to flourish in ordinary garden soil. 



The following varieties of Ghent Azaleas are distinct, and all 

 worth growing : ADMIRAL DE RUYTER, deep red-scarlet, very fine ; 

 ALTACLERE.NSIS, bright yellow; AMCENA, light pink; CAR.MEA 

 ELEGAXS, pale pink, shaded sulphur; COCCIXEA MAJOR, dark 

 scarlet, very fine ; CUPREA SPLE.\DE.\S, rich pink, shaded yellow ; 

 DECORATA, lovely pink; DIRECTEUR CHARLES BAUMAMX, rich 

 vermilion, spotted yellow ; ELECTOR, rich orange-scarlet ; GEANT 

 DES BATAILLES, deep crimson, very fine ; MADAME JOSEPH 

 BAUMAXX, bright pink, very free and good ; MARIA VERSCHAP- 

 FELT, shaded pink and yellow; MIRABILIS, very lovely pink; 

 MORTERI, rich yellow, shaded rosy-red ; POXTICA MACRA.VTHA, 

 rich deep sulphur, very large and fine ; PRINCESSE D'ORAXOB, 

 salmon-pink, very fine; SAXGUIXEA, deep crimson; VISCOSA 

 FLORIBUXDA, pure white, very fragrant. 



Azalea continued. 

 A. arborescens (tree-like).* fl. large 



leafy; tube of corolla longer tnRn ^a; *hr 

 with the segments oblong and acute. May J. of the fl Z'r 

 buds large, yellowish-brown, surrounded wiih a fringed white 

 border, obovate. rather obtuse, smooth on both surfaces *lan 

 cous beneath, ciliated on the margins, and bavin hTmf,ir,"h 

 Jmartsmooth. h. 10ft to 20ft. PennsylvaniaTlSlf fiSridiS 



A. balsaminteflora (Balsam-flowered).* 0. bright salmnnv H 

 finely double and rUte-like, the UM^STLbSl 

 cated, much resembling in general appearance the blossoms of 

 Camellia-flowered Balsam. Japan, ft is a distinct speciei and 

 remains in blossom fora considerable period; the flowers are in- 

 valuable for bouquets. See Fig. 196, for which we are indebted 



A. calendulacea (Marigold-like).* fl. yellow, red, orange and 

 copper coloured, large, not clammy, rather naked ; tube of corolla 

 hairy, shorter than the segments. May. I oblong, pubescent on 

 both surfaces, at length liairy. h. 2ft. to 6ft. Pennsylvania to 

 Carolina, 1806. This is said to be the handsomest shrub in North 

 America. There are several varieties of it in cultivation. Hardy 

 deciduous. (B. M. 1721, 2143.) 



A. hispida (bristly), fl. white, with a red border and a tinge 

 of red on the tube, which is wide and scarcely longer than 

 the segments, very clammy, leafy ; stamens ten. July I lonjt- 

 lanceolate, hispid above, and smooth beneath, glaucous on 

 both surfaces, ciliated on the margins, and having the nerve 

 bnstly beneath. Branches straight, and very hispid. A. 10ft. 

 to 15ft New York. Ac.. 1734. A hardy deciduous species! 



FIG. 197. FLOWEE OP AZALEA I.F.OI FOLIA. 



A. Icdifolia (Ledum-leaved). fl. pure white, showy; corolla 

 campanulate ; in threes at the extremities of the branches; 

 calyx erect, glandular, and viscid. March, i, elliptic-lanceo- 

 late, h. 2fL to 6ft. China, 1819. The whole shrub is very 

 hairy. Hardy evergreen. SVN. A. lUiiflora. See Fig. 197. 

 (B. M. 2901.) 



A. liliiflora (lily-flowered). Synonymous with A. ledifolia. 



A. nudiflora (naked-flowered).* fl. in terminal clustered racemes, 

 appearing before the leaves, rather naked, not clammy ; tube of 

 corolla longer than the segments ; teeth of calyx short, rather 

 rounded ; stamens much exserted. June, {.lanceolate-oblong, 

 nearly smooth and green on both surfaces, ciliated on the margins, 

 having the midrib bristly beneath, and woolly above, h. 3ft. to 

 4ft. North America, 1734. This species hybridises very freely 

 with A. calendulacea, A. pontica, A. racoM, Ac., and descriptive 



- lists of a host of hybrids of almost every conceivable shade, 

 both double anil single, are to be found in continental and 

 home catalogues, to which the reader is referred. Hardy. 

 (W. F. A., t 36.) 



A. pontica (PonticX* / leafy, clammy ; corolla funnel-shaped ; 

 stamens very long. May. I shining, ovate, oblong, puose, 

 ciliated. A. 4ft. to 6ft. Levant, Caucasus, Ac., 17%. The 

 varieties of this species are also numerous, differing prin- 

 cipally in the colour of the flowers and the hue of the leaves. 

 The flowers are of all shades, and frequently striped. The 

 name generally adopted, as above, must not be confounded 

 with Rhododendron ponticum. If the genus Azalea is merged 

 into Rhododendron, as is done by most systematists, this 

 plant must be called by Don's name, Rhododendron flavum. 

 (I. H. 1864, 415.) 



A. proenmbena (procumbent). See Loiseleuria procumbens. 



A. speoioaa (showy).* fl. scarlet and orange coloured ; corolla 

 silky, with obtuse, ciliated, lanceolate, undulated segments ; 

 calyx pubescent May. I. lanceolate, ciliated, acute at both 



