PLANTING OUT 49 



self in emphatic terms. The profusion in which he has 

 bloomed this and other species when planted out, proved 

 that starving is not necessary, nor is it worth resorting 

 to in any case. Poor, stunted blossoms and small, un- 

 characteristic leaves are not worth the growing. 



"At certain periods of their growth Rhododendrons 

 will imbibe an extraordinary amount of water, and in my 

 opinion copious watering is seldom inopportune, provided 

 only that the soil is sweet and suitable. The large supply 

 of water required is well explained by the habit of many of 

 the species to produce large quantities of succulent flowers 

 and gross shoots. It may be objected that copious water- 

 ing induces robust growth and destroys the prospect of 

 blossom, and undoubtedly this is sometimes the case. 

 When the temperature in the winter and early spring is 

 allowed to range higher by night than by day, it induces 

 pallid and sickly growth, which the chill blasts, admitted 

 in the daytime, make short work of." 



Troubles of this kind are not experienced when Rhodo- 

 dendrons are planted in the open air. Provided the soil 

 is of the right quality and the supply of moisture is ample, 

 they may be classed with those blessings among garden 

 plants which are said to look after themselves ; but seed-pods 

 should never be allowed to form upon the plants, as these 

 have a very weakening effect. They may be transplanted 

 at any time between the ist October and the 3ist May. 

 Their close, fibrous root-system favours transplantation, so 

 that one need not hesitate to move specimens of the largest 

 size, as is, in fact, often done, and with ordinary care the 

 plants do not perceptibly suffer. 



When the Himalayan house at Kew was built, a number 

 of very large Rhododendrons were presented for it by Mr. 



P 



