HORTUS VEITCHII 



shaded with orange-scarlet. R. x Prince Leopold, from R. Lobbii, a Bornean 

 species with red flowers, and R. Brookeanum, had flowers of fawn suffused with 

 rose, deepening in intensity towards the centre. 



Duchess of Connaught, from the same parents as Prince Leopold and Duchess 

 of Edinburgh, was sent out in 1882, the flowers, in shape those of the Duchess 

 of Edinburgh, but the colour a rich glowing red. 



From the commencement of hybridizing experiments with this genus up till 

 the year 1882, the following varieties, as well as those already mentioned, had 

 received certificates of merit from the Royal Horticultural and Royal Botanic 

 Societies : 



Queen Victoria (R. Lobbii x R. Brookeanum), Princess Frederica (Princess 

 Royal x R. Brookeanum), *Maiden's Blush (Princess Alexandra x R,. Brooke- 

 anum), Excelsior (Princess Royal x R. javanicum), Monarch (Princess Alexandra 

 x Duchess of Edinburgh), Favourite (Princess Alexandra x R. javanicum), 

 Crown Prince of Germany (Princess Royal x R. Brookeanum), and Aurora 

 (Crown Prince of Germany x R. javanicum). These hybrids were all raised 

 by John Heal, who received charge of the Rhododendrons on the retire- 

 ment of George Taylor. All possess large flowers, varying much in colour and 

 form. 



Heal's great success was achieved when varieties appeared with double flowers, 

 which now constitute what is known as the Rhododendron t balsamceflorum 

 hybrids. This section originated by impregnating the stigma of a flower which 

 had one of the filaments slightly petaloid, the others being normal, with the 

 pollen from its own anthers : self-fertilization. From the seed capsule which 

 resulted, about twenty plants were raised, and when these flowered they were 

 found to produce double or semi-double blooms. The section received the name 

 of balsamseflorum from the resemblance the flowers bore to those of the double 

 Balsams. 



The colours of the offspring show great variety, from white and pink to 

 dark red or crimson, from pure yellow to various shades of orange ; the foliage 

 is also very variable, and frequently there is a want of symmetry between the 

 two halves of the leaf-blade. The principal seedlings in this section are named 

 album aureum, roseum, carneum, indicating the colour, and the handsome 

 Rajah, with bright fawn-yellow segments tinted with rose towards the margin. 



The balsamieflorum hybrids cross with other javanico-jasminiflorum hybrids 

 or with species, but in all cases the progeny have single blooms, and the tendency 

 to petaloidy is apparently overcome by the natural vigour of the true species or 

 crosses. 



In 1886 Favourite and J Lord Wolseley were sent out. The former, a hybrid 

 of the third generation, from Princess Alexandra (white) crossed with Rhodo- 

 dendron javanicum (orange-yellow), has flowers of a satiny rose colour, with a 

 white tube and crimson filaments. Lord Wolseley raised from Duchess of Teck 

 (buff-yellow) and R. javanicum (orange-yellow), has flowers of an orange-yellow, 

 tinted with rose at the margin, in large trusses. 



In the year 1887 Rhododendron album and R. aureum of the balsamteflorum 

 section were distributed, and also a new single-flowered variety, a cross between 



* L' Horticulture Beige, 1888, p. 141, col. pi. 



t PI. and Pom. 1883, p. 31. + Veitclis' Catlg. of PI. 1886. 



496 



