432 BRECK S NEW BOOK OF FLOWERS. 



ment of the Rhododendron^ and has, at my request, fa- 

 vored me with a letter, from which I extract the folloAving : 

 " The beautiful hybrid varieties sent us a few years ago 

 from the English nurseries, have proved as hardy and as 

 well adapted to our climate, as our native M. maximum ; 

 the flower-buds are sometimes killed by severe winters, 

 but that may be avoided by a slight covering of white 

 pine boughs, laid over the plants before winter sets in ; by 

 so doing, I never had a bud injured. I will now state for 

 the information of all amateur florists, the best method of 

 preparing the soil for a luxuriant growth, and gorgeous 

 display of flowers. Tlie following kinds of American 

 shrubs, along with the Rhododendrons, will all flourish 

 and do well with tlie same soil and treatment : Kalmia 

 latifolia, Andromedas, and all the fine, new, hardy, hy- 

 brid Azaleas. Select a piece of ground in a partially 

 shaded situation, then excavate and cart away all the soil 

 to the depth of two feet ; then fill the hole, about one- 

 half full, of dry peat mud ; then from the hollow places 

 of an old oak wood, dig six or eight inches of the soil, 

 which is principally decomposed leaves ; cart and fill up 

 the whole excavation ; then lay all over the top six inches 

 of clear white sand; then begin at one side, turning, 

 breaking up, and mixing the whole together twice, allow- 

 ing the bed to stand for some time to settle ; it will ulti- 

 mately be no higher than the surrounding ground. In 

 the months of April or May, plant all the sorts and vari- 

 eties of those I have named, from two to two and one- 

 half feet apart, mixing the diflfcrent colors to suit the 

 taste.. Afterwards, lay a covering of leaves, six inches in 

 depth, all over the ground, amongst the plants, the same 

 never to be removed ; and as they have decayed through 

 the sum:ner, add more to th')se that have blown amongst 

 them by the fall winds. They are all propagated by seeds 

 or layers ; but as both methods take a number of years to 



