90 LAWN AND SHADE TREES. 



that almost every planter of a new place feels anxious to adopt 

 it. Kepeated experiments with it, however, compel us to, all 

 unwillingly, write that it can not be used and prove at all satis- 

 factory. Even our native variety, the ilex opaca, frequently 

 browns badly, and occasionally loses its foliage completely ; and 

 although beautiful when it can be perfectly grown, it proves so 

 often unsightly rather than beautiful, that it is unwise to use it 

 except in shaded situations. 



MOUNTAIN LAUREL Kalmia. The kalmia, or laurel as it is 

 commonly called, is one of the finest evergreen under shrubs. It 

 is perfectly hardy in any exposure, but it chooses a soil largely 

 composed of vegetable loam and sand. Near running water it 

 grows and blooms most freely, but naturally it is found often in 

 the most barren rocky situations imaginable. As an under 

 shrub it is particularly desirable, as it bears the drip of other 

 trees without perceptible injury. Its flowers are produced most 

 freely in June, but it continues more or less of bloom for a 

 month or six weeks in succession. The latifolia, see engraving, 

 and auguAtifolia and narrow-leaved, or sheep laurel, are the most 

 valued varieties. The flowers of the former are a white or light 

 pink delicately spotted, while those of the sheep laurel are dark red. 



RHODODENDRON. The rhododendrons, or rose bay as some- 

 times called, are a class of broad-leaved evergreen shrubs of 

 exceeding beauty both in foliage and flower. Like the kalmia, 

 they succeed best when grown in soil composed mostly of 

 vegetable loam and sand, although some cultivators advise free 

 use of well-rotted animal manures. Such application we have 

 found to produce free growth, but at expense of hardihood, and 

 when necessary to improve the soil, advise fresh woods loam 

 rather than animal manure. The varieties maximum and 

 catawlnense have been tested as to hardihood all over the Union, 

 and everywhere proved successful. Many others are probably 

 equally hardy when grown under the same circumstances ; but 



