228 HARDY SHRUBS. 



pieces about 3 inches in length, starting them during Spring, in sand or 

 moss. A. pentaphylla is a dwarf shrub, with small palmate leaves; 

 does well in shade. It may be increased like the above, or from seeds. 



AUCUBA JAPONICA. A dwarf evergreen shrub belonging to the Dog- 

 wood family. It is one of the most desirable evergreens for the warmer 

 parts of the country. While frequently hurt by late frosts in this 

 locality, it is only the imperfectly ripened ends of the previous season's 

 shoots which suffer. In the Fall those shoots which are likely to get 

 hurt make good material for cuttings. They may be made quite large; 

 pieces 8 or 10 inches long will root easily in the cold propagating house. 

 The roots emitted from the cuttings are thick and easily broken, and if 

 left for any length of time in the sand bed, or boxes, after the roots are 

 about 2 inches long, they are difficult to handle successfully. Some of 

 the varieties of this plant are almost as handsome as the Crotons for 

 decorative work, and as a berry-bearing plant it has not had the atten- 

 tion it deserves. The sexes are on separate plants. They flower early 

 in Spring. A branch of the staminate plant, when the pollen is in suita- 

 ble condition, if carefully shaken over the pistillate flowers on a calm, 

 sunny day, will almost certainly insure a crop of the large, bright red 

 berries. In favorable situations the berries last in good condition 

 through the following Winter. Some of the better known kinds are A. j. 

 aurea, A. j. albo-variegata, A. j. bicolor, A. j. latimaculata, A. j. macro- 

 phylla, A. j. ovata, A. j. longifolia, A. j. limbata and A. j. pygmaea 

 sulphurea. 



AZALEA. The deciduous species and varieties, including the Chinese 

 species (A.mollis), and the Ghent Azaleas, which are hybrids between A. 

 pontica, the American species, and A. mollis, are well-known flowering 

 shrubs. The species are raised from seeds, and the seedlings are used as 

 stocks on which to graft the finer varieties. It does not pay to raise 

 these plants in small quantities as they are supplied by dealers at low 

 prices. The evergreen species include the well-known A. indica, several 

 of the varietias of which are successfully grown out of doors from New 

 York southward. In Washington some large plants have stood out un- 

 harmed for thirty years. A. amoena, an allied species, is probably the 

 hardiest of this section. The color of the flowers is a rich rosy-crimson. 

 For pot culture it does not approach in beauty the forms of the Indian 

 Azalea, but for outdoor planting in the colder sections it is more to be 

 depended on. The cuttings should be taken about the beginning of No- 

 vember; at that time numerous strong shoots with small rosettes of 

 leaves on the ends will be found above the main body of the bush. These 

 make the best cuttings; lengths of about 4 inches will suffice. They 

 should be inserted close together in the sand bed of a cool house. The 

 roots which they emit are exceedingly fine. Previous to potting, if 

 watered well before lifting, a small quantity of sand will adhere to the 

 roots. The plants should be potted in the smallest-sized pots, using 

 finely sifted sandy soil, with at least half of its bulk leaf mould or peat. 

 Owing to the low price of imported plants of Indian Azaleas, it is gen- 

 erally conceded that it is cheaper to buy than to raise plants. This is 

 no doubt true of the finer and slow growing kinds, which are propagated 



