BROAD-LEAVED EVERGREENS FOR OHIO PLANTERS 



W. fi. BONT EAGER 



Native evergreens satisfactory. Those who have visited Eng- 

 land and continental Europe or the Pacific coast of our own country 

 deplore the scarcity of broad-leaved evergreens that succeed in 

 eastern North America as compared with the luxuriant growth of 

 glossy, lustrous foliage that is secured in the regions named. This 

 condition is largely due to climatic reasons, as many of the finer 

 species, such as rhododendrons and laurels, are scarcely more than 

 half hardy and may only be expected to do well in countries where 

 mild, open winters are the rule. It is only under the favorable 

 conditions prevailing 'in England and France or in the states of 

 Oregon and Washington that we may find the more desirable named 

 varieties of rhododendron growing and flowering with any consider- 

 able degree of success. Nevertheless, we have in this country a 

 limited number of native species known to withstand the rigors of 

 our severest winters and to grow reasonably well wherever proper 

 soil conditions and other requirements are supplied. 



The cultivation of the finer grafted rhododendrons should only 

 be undertaken by the amateur in a small way unless one is prepared 

 to supply almost exactly the needful conditions. Most plantings of 

 them on home lawns have been established in unsuitable soil or 

 exposed to the full sunlight, with the result that poorly nourished 

 plants eke out a dreary existence and contribute but little to the 

 enjoyment of the owner. Occasionally on some extensive estate or 

 in a well-managed park or cemetery will be found a clump that is 

 entirely at home, growing vigorously, but in such cases the secret 

 of success may generally be traced to the efforts of some experi- 

 enced professional gardener. 



Requirements for successful culture. The requisites for the 

 successful cultivation of nearly all broad-leaved evergreens are a 

 cool, mpist, well-drained soil, in connection with a shaded or semi- 

 shaded position; and in the case of those species belonging to the 

 heath family, such as rhododendrons and kalmia, it is imperative 

 that the soil be an acid one, almost entirely free from lime. This 

 acidity may be maintained by annual heavy mulchings with oak 

 leaves. A mulch of maple or other leaves it not so good, as most 

 other kinds of leaves become alkaline in the process of decomposi- 

 tion and serve to neutralize rather than to maintain the very essen- 

 tial acid condition. 



(Ill) 



