272 FRITZ BAHR'S COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE 



AZALEAS 



Azaleas such as we use for Winter flowering are among the most 

 beautiful of all flowering pot plants. In spite of all that has been said 

 to the contrary, I predict that the day will come when they will be 

 successfully grown on in this country, so that the retail grower will again 

 be supplied with them, and bring them into flower for Christmas and 

 all through the Winter and up to Easter. 



I claim a great deal of credit is due the late C. W. Ward for 

 having had sufficient faith in the climate and soil prevailing in 

 Humboldt County, California, to induce him to go into Azalea cul- 

 ture to the extent he did at Eureka. I made a special trip there, 

 and beheld the plants by the tens of thousands, planted outdoors 

 in all stages, and as many more of small grafted stock under glass. 

 While the plants did not have the dark green leaves of those coming 

 from Ghent, or grown in parts of Central Europe, they looked 

 mighty promising, and whether or not they will ever be fully a 

 success there, yet they will be grown somewhere in this country. 



The best we here at home could ever do with imported Azaleas 

 was to keep the plants alive for a few years ; with all possible care and 

 attention they would gradually go back, and finally be discarded. 

 But we, and I know thousands of others, have missed them greatly 

 since their importation has been prohibited. We may do just as 

 much business at Christmas and Easter, but there is more to it 

 than that. Having had Azaleas for so many years the display for 

 the holidays doesn't seem complete without them, no matter how 

 many fine Cyclamens, Poinsettias, Lilies or Rambler Roses we 

 may have. On the other hand, if not being able to get them from 

 Europe will ultimately result in growing them here, the result will 

 be well worth waiting for. 



AZALEA HINODIGIRI 



This Azalea has become quite popular of late, especially as an 

 Easter plant. Of rather dwarf habit, the specimens are literally 

 covered with small, red flowers and so make very attractive pot 

 plants. They are grown on in great quantities in this country, so 

 that while it wouldn't pay the average florist to attempt this on a 

 small scale, he can purchase his requirements in plants from four to 

 six years old and treat them as coldhouse stock. They can either 

 be planted outdoors and lifted in late Fall, potted up and carried 

 in a frame (as they are not much affected by ordinary freezing) or 

 they can be handled in pots altogether. With just a little heat for 

 four or five weeks, you can easily bring them into flower for Easter, 

 and what are left unsold you can carry over for the next year. 



KURUME AZALEAS 



To many of the visitors to the National Flower Show, held in 

 Indianapolis in the Spring of 1922, the most interesting exhibit was 



