42S General Notices. 



house early in the season; and, as vegetation soon begins there, the 

 stocks will be fit to be grafted in a month or six weeks, and flowers will 

 be obtained from them much sooner than from rose trees in the open air. 

 [Gard. Chron., 1844, p. 316.) 



Hybrid Rhododendrons. — Much remains to be accomplished by the 

 growers of this most exquisite tribe, as, notwithstanding the beauty of 

 numberless hybrids, a fresh race is required, Avhich would unite the glow- 

 ing tints of the Indian species with the hardness and freedom in flowering 

 that characterize both R.. Maximum and Ponticum. At Highclere this 

 has been done; as by crossing the finest varieties of Altaclarense with a 

 variety of Ponticum, known as Lee's Late Purple, a collection of perfectly 

 hardy sorts has been raised, on which no severity of the winter has any 

 efiJect, and which adorn the grounds of that noble seat with flowers of a 

 most beautiful description. These rhododendrons combine every requi- 

 site quality, being abundant bloomers, and productive of immense trusses 

 of large flowers, of every shade of pink and rose, crimson and dazzling 

 scarlet, and purple, in some instances dark as the fruit of the vine ; with 

 the additional recommendation of being in perfection from Uie middle of 

 May to the beginning of June. I believe that these fine varieties are not 

 in the possession of the trade, which is to be regretted ; and the object of 

 this paragraph is to stimulate both nin-serymen and amateurs to embrace 

 the present season, and cross such varieties as may, by an intermixture of 

 habit, color, and size of their flowers, render their progeny equal to those 

 I have been describing. It cannot be doubted that the union of some fine, 

 high-colored hybrid, with such kinds as Lee's Late Purple, Ponticum, 

 Lee's Grandiflorum, (a very large flower,) a rose colored or purple Maxi- 

 mum, would produce such shrubs and flowers as Avould not only be suited 

 to our uncertain climate, but be the admiration of all who saw them. 

 [lb. p. 317.) 



Grafted Currants. — Standard currants have a pretty appearance, and 

 this is increased if they are grafted with opposite colors, such as black 

 and white, white and red, or red and white. Allow the stock to reach 

 four feet in height, then let it break two shoots, one of which is to be 

 grafted with the desired variety ; when this shoot has grown about six 

 inches let both be stopped, so as to make a bushy compact head. For 

 standards or espaliers, train either horizontally, or by the fan method, 

 about six shoots or more, according to the space you wish to cover, on 

 either side, leaving one for the centre to be grafted. Train the same 

 number of shoots of the worked variety. Each leading shoot, if kept well 

 spurred in, Avill bear abundantly, and the fruit will also be of finer quality 

 and of a sweeter flavor, by being fully exposed to the sun and air, which 

 is better attained by this method than if the plants were grown in the 

 usual way. {lb p. 390.) 



Straivberries. — My practice in the cultivation of the strawberry is neither 

 novel nor peculiarly valuable, but it certainly has been abundantly suc- 

 cessful and might possibly, as far as it goes, assist in settling the question 

 of the annual renewal of this valuable and highly esteemed fruit. My 

 plan then is as follows : — I peg down the runners as early as possible, 

 taking care to cut off" all the superfluous ones as they appear. By the 

 first week in July, at the latest, I plant them out at eighteen inches be- 

 tween the rows, and only one foot from plant to plant. I prepare my bed 

 by deep trenching, and manure it abundantly witli good frame dung. 



