VARIOUS KINDS OF SOIL 55 



Although peat of a certain quality is the ideal soil for 

 Rhododendrons, other kinds of soil suit them to a greater 

 or less degree. The soil in South-West Cornwall, where 

 Rhododendrons grow so well, is decomposed granite rich 

 in humus. It contains no lime, and it retains moisture 

 without ever becoming stagnant. At Kew the natural soil 

 is a light, sandy loam, containing scarcely any lime ; conse- 

 quently Rhododendrons, provided they are not allowed to 

 suffer from drought which they certainly would do in the 

 summer unless they were frequently watered root and 

 flourish very well there. Once upon a time it was believed 

 that they would not grow at Kew unless they were planted 

 in peat, which was procured from Ringwood or Bagshot. 

 The Himalayan House, when it was first made, contained 

 borders of Ringwood peat for the Rhododendrons, but they 

 did not flourish in it, and experience having meanwhile 

 demonstrated that the natural soil of Kew agreed with these 

 plants outside, the borders in the house were remade with 

 this soil, the result being a considerable improvement in 

 the health of the Rhododendrons. The moral of this is 

 first be certain that the home soil is unsuitable before going 

 to the expense of purchasing special soil for the plants. 



Rhododendrons, therefore, will grow in any soil that does 

 not contain lime, is porous without being dry, and is fairly 

 rich in humus. Even absolute sand, if enriched by adding 

 leaf-soil or well-rotted manure, is suitable, and some loams 

 which appear to be heavy have been known to suit them. 

 After all, the proof of the pudding is in the eating ! It is 

 easy to be deceived as to the fertility of a soil. A great deal 

 of nonsense is to be found in books as to what is, and what 

 is not, suitable for certain plants. Chemical analysis is, as 

 a rule, misleading ; what has been termed a mechanical 



