ANTHONY & JOHN WATERER 31 



as 1832 we read of a hybrid raised by him between R. 

 arboreum and R. caucasicum, whilst hundreds of Azaleas 

 even at that time owed their origin to him. Since then not 

 a year has passed without the introduction of new varieties ; 

 whilst so high was his standard that the new introductions 

 were certain to be improvements. A new race of Azaleas 

 was raised by him from the Californian Rhododendron 

 occidentals only a few years since. In many cases a par- 

 ticular variety which had won the commendation of the 

 experts was not allowed to get into commerce, either 

 because it did not satisfy the exacting requirements of the 

 raiser, or because he had still better in reserve. 



Messrs. John Waterer & Sons, of the famous Bagshot 

 Nurseries, state that ever since they started breeding Rhodo- 

 dendrons it has been their aim to produce only seedlings of 

 first-class quality, sufficiently hardy to stand without pro- 

 tection in the United Kingdom. The history of their early 

 hybrids, which were raised by crossing R. arboreum and 

 various other species, is now generally known. Of late 

 years they have been introducing into the race thus 

 originated the blood of other species, such as R. Griffi- 

 thianum and R. Fortunei in the second generation, avoiding 

 the types or true species lest the plants bred from them 

 should prove tender. Broadly speaking, they have confined 

 their efforts to crossing hybrids, except in the case of such 

 species as R. catawbiense, R. maximum, R. Meternichii, and 

 R. Smirnowiij which are absolutely hardy. Some of the 

 best of their later seedlings are Pink Pearl, Alice, Gomer 

 Waterer, Lady Clementina Walsh, and Mrs. Stirling. In 

 none of these is there a direct strain of R. Griffithianum 

 or of any other tender species. 



Amongst the most successful trade breeders in the 



