THE PONTIC AZALEA. 55 



unknown to the old world. It will not he expected that 

 any attempt should be made in these pages to solve a 

 problem that has perplexed the learned. But having' 

 I'ailed to ihid any traces of poison in honey gathered in 

 districts whore rhododendrons and azaleas abound, we 

 have sometimes considered it as not improljahle that the 

 Ciilchians poisoned their wells before they alja.ndoni'd 

 their villages^ and that thus the usually exact writer 

 of the " Anabasis " may have been mistaken. The eating 

 of honey promotes thirst, and honey eaten in haste, and in 

 excess, would prove dangerous without the aid of poison. 

 But if we accept Xenophon^s statement without any 

 qualification, then we incline to the opinion that the azalea 

 was not the offending- plant, but the more decidedly 

 dangerous Nerliim oleander. 



The azaleas that are represented by A. Pontica are of 

 the greatest value in the English garden, being perfectly 

 hardy, immensely showy when in tlower, and peculiarly 

 pleasing when their leaves acquire the ruddy tints of 

 autumn previous to their fall. They are often mixed with 

 rhododendrons, but usually that mode of disposing f>f them 

 appears less effective than grouping together in large beds, 

 or scattering them about the borders with other deciduous 

 trees and shrubs. The intensely brilliant goldeu-grcen of 

 their new Icaiage in the spring seems to make a discord 

 wlien we see patches of it amongst the sombre green of 

 the rliod(jdendrons ; but in separate groups, and associated 

 with other deciduous trees^ tl^oy are as gay and various 

 as any of the flowering trees known to us. 



The Pontic azalea is a native of Asia Minor, and 

 in many respects distinct from the hardy azaleas that 

 are natives oi North America, such as //. cdlendidacea, 



