326 Hardy RJiododendrons, and their Culture. 



weapons, and so I gradually put myself out of the way of them. This 

 was twenty years ago. Since then, manners have greatly changed by the 

 entrance into horticultural paths of large numbers of intelligent and cul- 

 tured men, who feel that it is just as wrong to strike a man a blow with a 

 pen as to strike him with the hand. 



And yet, if you will glance over the August number of " The Journal of 

 Horticulture," and notice the personalities, which, without criticism, have 

 been allowed in its pages, I think you will admit that one is not yet 

 quite safe. 



I gladly, however, reply to your question about rhododendrons, and to 

 some others in your September issue. 



The general question from those who are desirous to cultivate largely 

 that unsurpassed plant, the rhododendron, is, " Why are so few of them 

 hardy ? " and, " Why are dead plants the chief result to those who plant 

 largely ? " The answer to this is contained in a few words : The sorts they 

 plant are not such as can bear our clhnate. The rose will bear our winter 

 unflinchingly; and yet no one, wishing a plant that would remain uninjured, 

 would plant tea-roses. He would select the Junes or mosses or remon- 

 tants. 



What is the course generally adopted by those who wish rhododendrons? 

 They see the foreign catalogues, are attracted by the low prices, and order 

 them by the hundred. On receiving them, they find that the freight, the 

 premium on gold, the exchange, and the duty, have brought them up to a 

 price nearly equal to that of the grower in this country. 



Paying thus the same price as he would pay for the same plant grown 

 here, what does he get? He receives a plant well grown, well formed, and 

 symmetrical, such as honorable men and good growers send to their cus- 

 tomers in Europe, and which do well there. But they are grown in peat, 

 and, when transferred to our totally different soil and climate, require years 

 to overcome the change. So well is this understood with us, that, when we 

 import a new variety, we do not expect much wood for grafting in less than 

 three to five years after importation. 



In past years, while our stock was too small for our demand, we have 

 attempted to replenish it by large importations, but found the result so un- 

 satisfactory, that we were compelled to abandon it except for seedlings and 



