250 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



the golden-leaved Oaks, Q. pedunculata concordia is the best of its class. 

 Of the English Oak (Q. pedunculata) there are several varieties of much 

 beauty, that named purpurascens, or atropurpurea, is very showy, and 

 of free growth. Q. filictfolia has deeply cut leaves. Q. laurifolia, with 

 its large leaves, creates a pretty effect in autumn when its foliage is tinged 

 with yellow and deep red. There are many evergreen Oaks, but the 

 following may be taken as representing a few of the best for general 

 effect. Q. Ilex (the Holm Oak) is the most frequently planted. It forms 

 a large dense head with long spreading branches. There are several dis- 

 tinct varieties, all of which are better for being often transplanted in a 

 young state, as the roots are not furnished with many fibres. The Cork 

 Oak (Q. Suber) merits attention for its very rough bark and neat habit. 

 It is quite a small tree. Q. ballota (Sweet Oak) is slow in growth, and 

 has rough greyish bark. Q. cuspidata and Q. c. variegata are ornamental, 

 and quite hardy. 



Raphiolepis japonica is a sturdy growing evergreen shrub for a 

 wall in localities where it is likely to suffer in the ordinary shrubbery in 

 severe winters. It is rather slow in growth, and the deep green leathery 

 leaves are set off in spring by terminal clusters of white sweet-scented 

 flowers, these being succeeded by round black berries. For forcing into 

 bloom for the greenhouse in early spring, this rather uncommon Japanese 

 shrub can be recommended. It flourishes in ordinary soil, and dislikes 

 stagnant water near its roots. 



Rhododendrons. Formerly Rhododendrons and Azaleas were kept 

 distinct, but they are now botanically classed under one heading. No 

 group of hardy shrubs is more varied in colour or more attractive at 

 flowering time than these, and as they succeed in nearly all well-drained 

 soils which do not contain lime or chalk, there seems little reason why 

 the better kinds should not enter more largely into the decoration of 

 public parks and gardens. We like to see these shrubs in groups or 

 masses with a suitable background for the delicately tinted flowers, and 

 beyond the reach of cold winds, as the flowers of some, especially the 

 deciduous kinds, appear early, and are apt to suffer from late frosts. 

 The shrubs receive much benefit from a yearly top dressing of leaf- 

 mould, and while growth is in progress water should be supplied freely. 

 The deciduous sorts prefer partial shade to full sunlight. Rhododen- 

 drons are easily propagated by seed, cuttings, layering, and grafting. As 

 the seed is very fine, be careful not to cover it too deeply, or the seedling 

 will be unable to make its way through the surface soil. It should be 

 barely covered with soil passed through a fine mesh sieve. For small 

 quantities shallow pans or boxes, placed under glass, are convenient, but 

 where plants are required in great numbers, slightly raised beds out of 

 doors should be resorted to. Shade the beds with Spruce or Fir boughs. 

 It seems strange that plants are not more frequently raised from cuttings. 

 True, they take longer to reach planting size than grafted ones, but there 

 is no trouble in looking after suckers, as is the case with grafted plants. 

 Cuttings of the young half-ripened wood of many of the smaller leaved 

 sorts emit roots if planted in sandy peat in a warm propagating case, but 



