THE HEATH AND RHODODENDRON FAMILY. 297 



with foliage large and thick, of a bright green, and when in a 

 young state it has the appearance of being coated with varnish. 

 Another remarkable hybrid, which we have called Towardii, 

 was raised from Catawbiense by Altaclarense, this being a per- 

 fect giant in every respect. The foliage is very fine, and the 

 flowers, both individually and in the truss, remarkably large, 

 each forming a perfect cup. We know no Rhododendron equal 

 to it in size and perfection of flowers. 



" Having shown some of the effects of hybridising upon the 

 Rhododendron, and the various breeds produced, we would beg 

 to recommend all who intend practising this very interesting 

 branch of horticulture, no matter what class of plants they pro- 

 pose to operate on, to choose the parents, whether species or 

 hybrids, as far removed from each other as is consistent with 

 the constitution of the plants and the result aimed at. We 

 have in a tabular form appended a description of eight distinct 

 sections of hybrid Rhododendrons, and it will be seen that all 

 our third crosses, although all hybrids, have been selected as 

 distinct from each other as possible. The plants raised from 

 these crosses are all as healthy as we could wish, and they pre- 

 sent a very great diversity in the characters of their foliage. 



SECTION I. 



Catawbiense 

 Arboreum 



Altaclarense 



I Blandyanum. 

 I Towardii. 

 } Meteor. 



Catawbiense 



(AHaclarense \ 



\ Pule helium. 



SECTION II. 



StandishiL 



Ponticum 

 Maximum 



Hybrid Maxinnim 



Hybrid Maximum 



Raeanum. 



Ponticum album 

 Caucasicum 



Caucasicum 

 album 



SECTION III. 



I Bride. 

 Original, and a race 

 of remarkable 

 dwarf and varie- 

 gated varieties. 



* When the name in this arrangement in printed in ordinary type, it 

 indicates the plant to have been a breeder ; when in italics, a hybrid pro- 

 duced. Thus, Catawbiense, fertilised with pollen of Arboreum, produced 

 Altaclarense. Then taking Catawbiense as the female again, and fertilis- 

 ing it with the pollen of the hybrid Altaclarense, a race of excellent flowers, 

 such as Blandyanum, Towardii, &c., was produced. 



