40 THE RHODODENDRON. 



killed or badly injured above the snow-line, but 

 bright and in good condition below. 



Heavy falls of snow, however, sometimes do great 

 damage by breaking the plants : we have had fine 

 plants ruined by a thaw succeeding a heavy snow- 

 storm, the snow settling and breaking all the 

 branches, leaving only a tall stem with a few 

 branches at the top. The covei-ing of cedar-boughs 

 is often a great protection against breaking by 

 snow. 



Of the hardiness of species we can speak with 

 greater certainty. 



All the Rhododendrons from Eastern and Central 

 Asia, and the numerous " Sikkini" species, are ten- 

 der. Some of the Himalaj^a kinds are precariously 

 hardy in the south of England, and therefore might 

 succeed south of Pennsylvania ; but we do not sup- 

 pose the experiment has been tried. A cold snap, 

 sucli as that which has recently (December, 1870) 

 visited the Southern States, would destroy them. 



Rhododendron poiUicum, and most of its varieties, 

 are tender in New England : in the Middle States 

 they would probably succeed. " Cunningham's 

 Dwarf White," of which there are several varieties, 

 (although a variety of R. ponticum^ , is hardy with 

 us, some fifty plants having stood the last three 

 winters uninjured, both in foliage and flower-bud. 



This variety is said to be the only Ehododendron 

 which will endure the winters of northern Europe. 



Rhododendron hirsutvm, punctatum, and fcrrii- 

 ginrtim, are hardy. R. californicnm is not hardy 

 in New England. 



