330 On the Cultivation of tJie Rhododendron maximum. 



Art. II. Observations on the Cultivation of the Rhododen- 

 dron maximum. By J. W. Russell. 



At a late exhibition of flowers at the Massachusetts Horticul- 

 tural Society's room, in Boston, I noticed a very splendid speci- 

 men of the iJhododendron maximum, from the garden of Thomas 

 Lee, Esq., Brookline. This gentleman has manifested much 

 zeal for native shrubs and plants, and is very successful in their 

 cultivation. Although there was exhibited at the same time a 

 number of choice roses, carnations, laced pinks, and a variety of 

 other flowers, tastefully arranged, none appeared to be so gene- 

 rally noticed as a cluster of this truly magnificent flower: a num- 

 ber of the visiters were completely taken up with its unique and 

 beautiful appearance, and were not a little astonished when they 

 were informed that the plant that produced such charming flow- 

 ers was a native of North America, and could be obtained at a 

 trifling expense, from many places in the vicinity, particularly at 

 Medfield, where it grows in considerable abundance. 



I very much doubt, if all the far-famed new varieties of this 

 tribe, together with the true R. arboreum of Nepaul, were shown 

 with a fine specimen of the native R. maximum, whether any 

 single cluster would be thought more highly of than this, I may add, 

 too much neglected species: the flowers are closely set together, 

 forming a handsome cone-shaped head; the corolla monopetalous; 

 the border divided into five large, unequal, segments, which are 

 white, shaded with lake, and slightly tinged with green ; the 

 upper and largest segments closely dotted with orange colored 

 spots. The eye may here rest on, and admire, in my humble 

 opinion, longer with delight, flowers thus delicately shaded, than 

 on those gorgeous crimson colored varieties. 



The compost I would recommend to be made use of for the 

 successful cultivation of this desirable shrub, is three parts good 

 peat earth, the other part yellow loam, well blended together be- 

 fore it is used; if to be planted in clumps, (and I would by no 

 means plant them singly,) the soil should be taken away to the 

 depth of one and a half feet, or, if two feet, all the better, and 

 filled up with such a compost as proposed^ not forgetting to tread 

 it down solid; for if this is neglected, the conij)ost, being light, 

 will be sure to settle more than the operator may be aware of. 

 The quantity of plants required will depend entirely on the ex- 

 tent of ground prepared for this purpose; the plants ought to be 

 set out from one to three feet apart, according to their size, and 

 not less than twelve or eighteen in one clump: the reason of 

 planting so many together, is, that they shelter each other through 



