Hardy Rhododendrons , and their Culture. 325 



HARDY RHODODENDRONS, AND THEIR CULTURE. 



By S. 15. Parsons, Flusliing, N.Y. 



Mr. Editor, — When I had the pleasure of seeing "you in Boston, you 

 expressed regret that I had not yet written for your Journal. I believe 

 that I somewhat avoided the question ; but the truth is, that, however much 

 I may have been afflicted when younger with the disease called cacoethes 

 scrib.ndi, I was effectually cured by the want among many horticultural 

 writers of those courtesies which are generally recognized as essential to 

 the amenities of social life. 



When I was a boy in New- York City, I was one morning going down 

 Pearl Street, when I noticed before me a young man gotten up in the highest 

 style of art. His white pantaloons were exquisite in their fitness ; his coat, 

 black with a shade of blue, was without a wrinkle ; and the grace with 

 which he swung a delicate cane in a jewelled hand showed a mind thor- 

 oughly satisfied with its outer covering. But, in dwelling upon the picture 

 before me, I was suddenly reminded of the mutability of earthly things bv 

 the figure of a stalwart woman emerging from a cellar, and having in her 

 hand a pail full of the various elements gathered from bed-room and cellar 

 in the early morning. She did not notice my friend with the cane, and my 

 friend with the cane did not notice her until he had received from her 

 muscular hands the full contents of her pail in that part of his body which 

 sailors would call " amidships." The wrath of the young man was some- 

 what terrible to witness, and the variegated appearance of those pantaloons 

 was certainly not picturesque. But the wrath did not remedy the matter ; 

 and, as he cooled off, I passed on. The impression which the incident 

 made upon me was, that, however it might be the vocation of some persons 

 to throw dirt, it was not my vocation to receive it ; and thereafter I made 

 my daily walk on the other side of the street. 



I was often reminded of this incident a few years after, when venturing 

 to give my opinions through the horticultural press. 



I found that subjects were rarely discussed on their merits, and that Jl 

 personal fling was often made to take the place of argument. This mode 

 of discussing a subject did not suit my taste. I could not fight with such 



