164 PLANTS GROWING IN RICH OR ROCKY SOIL. 



imagination can picture no more glorious burst of nature than 

 that which will then be spread out before one. It were, how- 

 ever, well for us not to try to follow our pathway through the 

 waxy flowers, but to imitate the custom of the sheep and go 

 around ; as the intermingling, close manner of their growth is 

 in places so great as to make the way quite impassable. 



The shrub is well adapted for cultivation, when the flowers 

 become very large, and are most effective as decorations in 

 parks. The sweetest sight that Liverpool has to show to the 

 unsteady traveller from over the sea is the rhododendrons that 

 there grow so luxuriously. A feeling of pride inevitably takes 

 possession of him, and he is sure to inform the first person with 

 whom he comes in contact that they are from his own country, 

 America. 



In the south, where the rhododendrons are common, they 

 sometimes reach a height of twenty-five feet. 



SMOOTH OR TREE AZALEA. 



Azalea arborescens. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Heath. Rose. Siveetly fragrant. Georgia northward. June. 



Flowers : growing in terminal clusters, and appearing after the leaves. Ca- 

 lyx : five-toothed ; conspicuous. Corolla : funnel -form ; of five somewhat irreg- 

 ular lobes that are viscid. Stamens: five. Pistil: one. Leaves: alternate; 

 obovate ; glaucous ; pale underneath. A shrub that varies greatly in height. 



Spreading over the mountains of Georgia and stretching to 

 the northward may be found this exquisite rosy species that has, 

 besides its beauty, a rare perfume. It seems when in endow- 

 ing this shrub as though Nature had been in one of her lavish, 

 sunshiny moods. It can be taken as a type of those that have 

 been collected so extensively to adorn greenhouses. 



SHIN=LEAF. (Plate LXXXVI) 

 Pyrola elliptic a. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Heath. White with a green tint. Fragrant. Mostly north. June, July. 



Floivers i growing on a scape in a long, wand-like raceme; nodding at the 

 end. Calyx : of five sepals. Corolla : of five ovate, wax-like petals. Stamens : 

 ten. Pistil : one, protruding and curved; stigma, five-divided. Leaves: clus- 

 tered at the base of the plant; rather oval petiolate ; evergreen; thin; 



