A GUIDE TO FLORICULTURE. 



AZALEA. 



(PULCHRA.) 



" There's danger in the dazzling eye, 



That woos thee with its witching smile ; 

 Another, when thou art not by, 



Those beaming looks would fain beguile." 



This beautiful hybrid variety of one of our most interest 

 ing species of shrubby flowering plants, commonly called 

 "Pretty Azal- a," generally flowers from March to April. 

 The spreading branches of this shrub is thickly covered with 

 brown hair, the lower side more so than the upper. Leaf 

 stalk short, flowers solitary, occasionally two or three ter- 

 minal. Flower stalk with white hairs, and the calyx part- 

 ed deeply and hairy. Corolla, bright rose color with red 

 on the upper segments, stamens ten, and the stigma a glos- 

 sy red. This magnificent flowering shrub is easily kept in 

 a pit, and when wanted to flower should be brought into a 

 warm room. 



There is a large family of the Azalea in cultivation much 

 admired for their commanding appearance when in bloom, 

 for when well grown presents one mass of flowers. There 

 is a double variety, but not so desirable as the single, and 

 requires a warm place to make it flower, therefore not suit- 

 able for parlor culture, all the single varieties are. The 

 Azalea is a little tender, like most plants indigenous to Chi- 

 na, therefore should be kept out of reach of frost ; is of easy 

 culture, growing readily from cuttings, taking off the young 

 wood as soon after flowering as grown from four to six 



