OCTOBER. 463 



weather in the autumn. The branches of this year could 

 not fail, therefore, to become matured, how late soever they 

 might have been produced, the greater length and the greater 

 dryness of the season contributing equally to this result. The 

 new wood was not killed on the succeeding winter, and since 

 that time the trees have been slowly recovering, because they 

 have matured their buds in the autumn, and the new spring 

 growth has come out in proper time. 



FLORICULTURAL AND BOTANICAL NOTICES. 



330. Rhodode'ndron falcone^ri Hook. Dr. Falconer's 

 Rhododendron. (Ericaceas.) Himalaya. 



A greenhouse shrub; growing six feet high; with white flowers; appearing in spring; increased 

 by layers ; grown in heath soil. Bot. Mag. 1856, pi. 4924. 



The rhododendrons of the East are now so numerous that 

 it is almost impossible to keep up with the rapid introduction 

 of new kinds. Every year brings forth new species or vari- 

 eties which have flowered from the seeds sent home by Dr. 

 Hooker, Mr. Booth, Mr. Low and Mr. Lobb, who have 

 severally travelled the Himalayas, Bootan, Java and Borneo. 

 These are all remarkable rhododendrons, some of them espe- 

 cially so, being of great stature, producing immense clusters 

 of flowers, of hitherto unknown colors in this family, and 

 several of them epiphytal in their habits. 



It is to be regretted that none of them have yet proved 

 hardy enough to warrant a trial in the open air in our climate 

 north of Washington. South of that they will grow freely, 

 and if introduced will form magnificent additions to every 

 southern garden. Our native species sink into insignificance 

 compared with some of these Asiatic plants. Without at- 

 tempting to give detailed descriptions of such as have been 

 beautifully depicted in the Botanical Magazine, we shall 

 briefly notice each. 



R. Falconeri has flowered this season for the first time in 

 Europe ; the plant was grown in an open frame at Bagshot, 



