338 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the various groups there are thousands of plants among which 

 are many single specimens measuring fully ten feet in iliaraeter. 

 Their beaut\' can only be appreciated b}' seeing them ; indeed, those 

 who have never seen them can hardly imagine the gorgeous effect 

 produced by the massing of these immense banks of flowers, and no 

 description can do them justice. In color we see the pale blush, 

 shaded purple, rosy crimson, pink, bright rose, delicate pale rose, 

 deep crimson, deep scarlet, pinkish lilac, white, shaded lilac, car- 

 mine, — in fact nearly every conceivable color from a pure white 

 to a deep, rich crimson. Of half hardy kinds, — that is, those 

 that are housed in winter, there are about two hundred named 

 varieties, both standards and dwarfs, a few of which are ten feet 

 high and as much in diameter. These large plants require four 

 men to lift them, so that the labor of moving them twice a year is 

 very great, and spacious pits are required to store them in during 

 the winter. Mr. Harris informed us that he makes a point of 

 thoroughly soaking the roots of every tree before it is housed, and 

 after all are planted in the pits they are well watered again, and 

 get no more water until set in the open ground in April. 



The rhododendron tent contains 9672 square feet and- is 25 feet 

 high at the apex. It is neatly and tastefully laid out in beds and 

 borders, and in the centre is a spiral staircase with a platform at 

 the top ten or fifteen feet from the ground, where a fine view of 

 all the plants is obtained, giving an effect produced in no other 

 way than by looking down on the plants. The splendid standard 

 specimens which were so very attractive and admired by ever}' 

 one, were : 



Onsloiviunum, a delicate waxy blush, with a yellow eye ; very 

 distinct. 



Bardayanum, deep rosy crimson ; a fine late blooming kind. 



Scipio, rose, with a fine deep spot. 



W. E. Gladstone, pink, fine truss. 



Purity, white, with a faint yellow eye ; very show}'. 



Mrs. Arthur Ilunnewell, iymk,yf[th primrose centre ; very pleasing. 



iSirJosejih Whitworth, rich dark lake, spotted. 



Duchess of Edinburgh, bright orange scarlet ; very effective. 



In a letter to the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. David Smith 

 pf the Old Scotch Rose Nurseries, Stranraer, Scotland, says : "I 

 called on Mr. Harris at Wellcsley, and saw the large collection of 

 rhododendrons, which is quite equal to any private collection I 



