AZA 



[ 106] 



AZA 



shoots and flowers by hoops in low situa- 

 tions, as the late frosts often destroy the 

 young early shoots. In winter, and in 

 summer, if the soil is very dry, cover the 

 bed with green moss. 



Diseases. Sometimes the plants die off 

 just at the surface of the soil, owing to 

 too much moisture. The remedy, if the 

 situation is low and damp, is either to 

 drain it thoroughly, or to raise the bed 

 completely above the general level of the 

 ground. 



Varieties may be raised by crossing the 

 kinds in such a way as is likely to effect 

 a pleasing change. Choose the best 

 forms and brightest colours ; let the 

 plants, with flowers of the best form be 

 the seed-bearing mother, and rely for the 

 colour upon the pollen of the male. Sow 

 the seed in April in pans, placed under a 

 cold frame ; prick the seedlings out the 

 year following, in beds four inches apart, 

 to remain till they flower. 



AZALEAS (Indian or Chinese). 



Eaising varieties. The best and most 

 certain way to obtain new varieties is by 

 impregnating the best- shaped flowers with 

 the pollen of some fine high-coloured 

 variety. Remove the anthers before 

 they burst from the one intended to 

 seed; cover with fine gauze the flower 

 impregnated to prevent impregnation by 

 insects. When the seed is ripe, gather it 

 and sow it the February following in 

 shallow pans, in a gentle heat. As soon 

 as the seedlings have two or three leaves 

 transplant them into fresh sandy peat, in 

 deeper pans. They may remain in these 

 pans till the spring following ; then pot 

 them singly into 2f-inch pots, and grow 

 them on, repotting them as they require 

 it, till they flower. 



Propagation by cuttings. - Take the 

 young tops, three inches long; dress them 

 by cutting off the bottom leaves. Fill a 

 pot to within an inch of the top with sandy 

 peat ; fill up the rest with silver sand ; 

 put in the cuttings thickly ; water gently, 

 and fit a bell-glass just within the rim of 

 the pot ; place them in a temperature of 

 55 to 60, and shade from the sun. 

 They should thus remain till rooted ; 

 then place them in a greenhouse for a 

 week or two ; and remove the bell-glass 

 every night, replacing it during the day. 

 They may then be potted off singly into 



small pots, and placed in a close frame 

 till fresh roots are made ; then gradually 

 inure them to bear the full sun and air : 

 repot and grow on to any size required. 



Propagation by grafting. See GRAFTING. 

 The best mode is that called side-grafting. 

 The grafts must be very small, not more 

 than 1 to 1 |-inch long; tie them with 

 worsted or thick cotton thread to the 

 stock. The best time is early spring. 

 Place the grafted plants in a close frame 

 in gentle heat, or under hand glasses, 

 upon sand, in a propagating-house. The 

 stock most suitable is the Azalea indica 

 alba, or A. phcenicea, both easy to strike. 



Soil. Sandy peat three-fourths, light 

 loam one-fourth. 



Summer culture. Azaleas require the 

 same treatment as Camellias. After the 

 bloom is over give them a moderate de- 

 gree of artificial heat, 55 to 60. Syringe 

 them freely during that period. As soon 

 as they have made their growth give 

 plenty 'of air for a fortnight, and then 

 set them behind a low north wall till 

 autumn. 



Winter culture. As soon as there is any 

 fear of frost, remove them into an airy 

 greenhouse, and keep them just from 

 frost, and give very moderate supplies of 

 water. "When they begin to show flower, 

 give more heat, and a more liberal supply 

 of water. 



Insects. The Thrip is the great pest of 

 Azaleas ; but the Green fly is also apt to 

 trouble them when growing. Both insects 

 may be destroyed by tobacco smoke fre- 

 quently applied. 



Diseases. These plants are often at- 

 tacked by a disease, which causes them 

 to die off just at the crown of the roots. 

 The small-leaved varieties, such as A. 

 indica var. Gledstanesii ; lateritia and 

 variegata, are especially subject to die on 

 thus prematurely. To prevent this tncy 

 should be all grafted upon the Ire. -grow- 

 ing stocks. 



AZA'RA. (Named after J . N. Azara, 

 a Spanish patron of botany. Nat. ord., 

 Bixads [FlancortiaceaeJ. Linn., \Z-Poly- 

 andria, \-monogynia.} Greenhouse ever- 

 greens. Cuttings in sand, under glass, 

 in slight heat; sandy loam. Summer 

 temp., 60 to 75 ; winter, 55 to 60. 



A. denta'ta (toothed-beared). 10. Yellow. 

 Chili. 1830. 



