MARCH 55 



upon a soil which in this country must prove fatal 

 to them ? * 



The nineteenth century had drawn to a close before 

 any botanist had an inkling of the vast number and 

 variety of Asiatic species of rhododendron. The late 

 Sir Joseph Hooker was accounted to have struck the 

 headquarters of the genus in the Himalaya and Sikkim 

 and to have skimmed the cream thereof. It now 

 appears that he touched no more than the fringe of a 

 region incalculably rich in this branch of the Heath 

 family. The species introduced from China during the 

 last five-and-twenty years, ranging from lowly creeping 

 alpine forms like K erastum up to forest trees like 

 E. giganteum, must be reckoned in hundreds; and 

 although none as yet discovered surpasses in beauty 

 some of the Indian species or the fiery splendour of 

 others, we do not yet know what treasures may still 

 remain to reward the hardihood and patience of 

 collectors. 



There is no more beautiful shrub in winter than 

 Pier is (Andromeda) Japonica, so thickly set with 

 clustered racemes of ruddy flower buds, which, cluster- 

 ing closely over the pale evergreen foliage, are nearly 

 as showy in bright sunshine as the alabaster blossoms 

 contained in them will be presently. It is a pity that 

 this shrub is not more commonly planted, at least in 

 moderately mild districts, for it is infinitely more lovely 

 than its pallid cousin P. floribunda, which one meets 

 everywhere. P. Japonica, however, demands choicer 

 lodging than the other, for it is impatient of cold winds. 



1 See page 66, 



